


<b>Progeny-Part 3 of the Karma Series</b>

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Future, Het, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Sequel, Suspense, Unsafe Sex, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-23
Updated: 2008-11-01
Packaged: 2018-12-27 09:29:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 78,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12078306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: This is part 3 of the Karma series.  If you have not read Karma or Gene Pool, this story will make no sense.  Both stories can be found here.   Join Brian and Justin and their extended family as they move forward in time.  This fic is set in New York City.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

  
Author's notes: Thank you to my beta Shellie for her ongoing support.  Feedback is always welcome.  I try and respond to my readers as soon as I hear back.  Please do not worry that this is a WIP and you will be left hanging.  I'm phobic about unfinished fics and I would never do that to you!  I hope you enjoy this as much as you have Karma and Gene Pool.  


* * *

**Progeny-Chapter 1**

****

 

****

 

****“It’s time!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, my water just broke.”

“Shit! Get up quick, go to the bathroom.”

“I can’t move…it hurts too much.”

“Come on. Are you timing this?”

“No!”

“We need a watch…where’s the watch?”

“Who cares…help me,” she whimpered, her breath catching as the contraction ripped through her, squeezing her insides.

Strong hands pulled her up, moving her body off the bed and onto the cold tiles of the bathroom. The only heat was coming from the small vent on the floor, releasing miniscule amounts of warm air that did nothing to cure the chill that had settled in her. All she could focus on was getting this thing out of her body, this thing that was clawing its way out, like an alien demon force that was tearing her apart.

“Here, lie down on this blanket.”

“It’s going to get all dirty.”

“I’ll get rid of it when we’re done.”

“God!” Another contraction, harder this time, rushing through her body, making her break out into a sweat.

She felt the strong presence beside her, squeezing her hand, urging her on, whispering softly in her ear. “You can do this…take a deep breath and hold it…now release, pant softly, that’s it, push, push, hold...”

She was crying now, the pain moving along at an alarming rate, too intense and too quick. Nothing like the book said. It wasn’t supposed to be happening this fast.

“It hurts! Why does it hurt so bad?”

“I don’t know…I guess it’s supposed to. Here, take this towel and bite down on it…I have to get the scissors and another clean towel. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t leave me,” she whimpered. “Oh God, it’s starting again” She inhaled sharply as the squeezing started, the tearing forward motion of an unseen force that was trying to rip her apart, making her bear down against her will, drawing up her legs and lifting her butt off the floor.

“Help me,” she cried out as strong arms lifted her into a half sitting position, cradling her upper body as her companion crooned softly into her ear, “Breathe in, hold it…push, push, breathe out…that’s it. Better?”

“Yes,” she replied breathless.

“No,” she screamed out as the pain ripped through her again, the contraction coming three minutes behind the other one and she felt herself being put flat on the floor and her companion moved around towards her legs and gently parted them, peering in to see if there was any change.

“I can see something. If you push hard the next time I think it should work.”

“What should work? What do you see? Oh God, this is killing me!”

She was sweating profusely, her body wracked by pain. Her stomach was moving of its own accord, undulating as the living thing inside her struggled to make its way out of her tight confines, pushing and fighting its way through a birth canal that was far too tight, a body that had no business having a baby at this age, yet caught in the timeless struggle of procreation. “Okay, now push really, really hard…that’s it!”

And the silence of the night was broken by the sound of a small cry, followed by a lustier one as the infant took his first breath and was placed hastily on his mother’s stomach while the helper grabbed the scissors and cut his umbilical cord and moved back down towards the end of the body that was now pushing out the after birth, along with a gush of blood and other body fluids.

“What is it?”

“It’s a boy.”

“Good. That’s perfect…they wouldn’t know what to do with a girl.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes,” she replied, moving her body gingerly while she felt herself being wiped.

“Are you still hurting?”

“It’s better…just small waves that are getting less intense.”

“I think you’re supposed to make the baby suck on your boobs so your uterus will contract.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Try it for a minute.”

“No! Take it away from me, get it off my stomach!” The woman’s voice came out strangled, as she pushed the baby away from her, towards hands that were reaching out.

“He’s so tiny…he looks just like...”

“Shut up! I don’t want to hear it. Just go! Do what you need to do!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes…please get him out of here. I don’t want to see him…Go!”

The mewling stopped as soon as the pacifier was stuck in the infant’s mouth; the small blue Binky bobbed up and down as the baby sucked on it hungrily. They had bought it weeks ago in anticipation of this event, the child’s mother insisting on a blue one, as if that would guarantee its sex.

She heard the bathroom door open and she felt them leave the room, leaving her alone at last, with a body that was hers once again, free of any encumbrance. She sat up and paused for a minute as her body adjusted to this position, still light headed and dizzy from her recent loss of blood, but rejuvenated, now that it was over.

She stood gingerly, feeling a small gush of blood trickling down her leg, not a lot, just a small trickle and she knew that everything was okay and her body was doing what it was designed to do; healing itself after a natural event.

She stepped into the shower stall and turned the water on full blast, as hot as possible, hoping it would warm her up, expecting the heat to reach that part of her that had gradually turned icy cold over the last nine months. The water helped soothe her body, the sharp sting of the multiple shower heads massaging her, ministering to her, caressing her, in the attempt to ease the shock and lessen the pain of her loss.

But she was having none of it, her mind slamming all her emotional doors shut, to the rooms that housed feelings and desires that only caused trouble and anxiety. She wanted none of it, preferring the reality of a cold shower to remind her that it was all a lie, that feelings and emotions, warmness and love were all crap. She turned the dial to cold, sucking in a sharp breath as the icy water stung her, leaving her almost struggling for air as the warm water disappeared, only to be replaced by the reality of the freezing cold water that assaulted her from multiple directions.

She turned the water off and stepped out of the shower stall and grabbed a white towel that was warming on the heated rack and wrapped it around her body…a body she wanted nothing to do with anymore. Her body had betrayed her, turning her into a needy, whiny, clinging emotional wreck. One she never wanted to see again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New York City-2031

Gus paused in mid-thrust as the persistent ringing of the doorbell interrupted his movements. Aedan was writhing underneath him, half-crazed with desire, when he realized that his partner had stopped moving, two minutes before he was about to have the most perfect orgasm.

“Gus, Jesus, don’t stop!”

“Don’t you hear that?”

Aedan shook his head and grabbed hold of Gus’ ass, pulling him hard against his groin, causing a chain reaction of exploding sensations that ripped through them both.

He cried out, just before Gus’ mouth covered his, smothering the words. Their moans combined in a crescendo of emotion as the waves of the orgasm pushed through them violently, the hot pulsing of Gus’ cock setting off Aedan’s as he spewed hot come all over his partner’s chest and stomach, covering them in a film of white as they shuddered towards their finale. He heard Gus growling even as his hips continued to thrust, the movements getting slower and slower until he collapsed, his breathing coming out ragged and intermittent. He licked his lips, now pink and swollen, attempting to sooth them after they were chewed on so deliciously by his partner of over four years.

“I love you,” Aedan said with a sigh as he caressed Gus who was still draped over him.

“That was fucking intense,” Gus whispered, rolling off of Aedan trying to catch his breath.

The chiming of the doorbell continued, startling them from their post-coital reverie. It was a continuous ringing that had once sounded beautiful when they first picked out the custom-made ring but was now driving them both crazy, the non-stop chiming announcing the arrival of a very persistent visitor.

“I’ll get the door,” Aedan said, struggling to get up. He bent down and kissed Gus on the mouth, “You stay in bed and rest. You need to get your strength back,” he teased. “I’m not done with you yet.”

“Jesus….”

Aedan chuckled and grabbed his navy blue silk robe off the sofa by the bed and wrapped it around him. He looked around for his slippers and didn’t see them so he padded out of the room on bare feet and made his way down the long hallway and down the staircase that led to the first floor of the three story single-family home they had purchased two years ago. It was in the West Village, on Tenth Street to be exact, and it was one of the very few homes that had a garage attached to it.

There was a fireman and a policeman standing on the other side of the immense black door with two vehicles in the background, the red lights on the fire truck going round and round, blinking, announcing the presence of the New York Fire Department. The cop car also had its top light on, flashing red in the dark.

“What’s going on?” Aedan asked. “Where’s the fire?”

“No fire sir. Are you Gus Kinney-Peterson?”

“No. I’m his partner. Aedan Hughes.”

“We need to talk to Mr. Kinney-Peterson.”

“Is anything wrong officer? You don’t have any bad news do you?”

“Depends on how you look at it,” the fireman said. He was at least six-foot-four and easily over three-hundred pounds. Aedan felt like a dwarf beside him, despite being six-one.

“I’ll go get him. You guys can come in if you want.”

“No, we’ll just wait here.”

“Okay,” Aedan said and turned and went back up the stairs and into the bedroom. Gus was fast asleep, snoring gently. He lay on his side, his dark hair falling over his forehead, hiding his eyes so that all you could focus on were the luscious lips that had destroyed Aedan more times than he could count. They were parted slightly and he couldn’t resist bending down and putting his mouth to them, running his hand along Gus’ thigh, trying to rouse him without startling him.

“Hey, baby? Come to bed,” Gus whispered, moving over to let Aedan in.

“Gus, I’m sorry but you need to get up.”

“Not yet…too tired. Give me a few more minutes.”

“You need to get up now. There’s a fireman and policeman downstairs.”

“What’s wrong?” Gus asked, popping one eye open. “Is there a fire in the house?”

“No, nothing like that. They said they need to talk to you.”

“I hope nothing’s wrong with anyone.”

“If there were, we would have gotten a phone call.”

“That’s true.” Gus sat up and shook his head, trying to clear his brain. He moved off the bed and made his way into the bathroom to take a piss and throw some water on his face to see if that would help wake him up. He grabbed the white terry-cloth robe that was hanging on the hook behind the door and wrapped it around himself. One last look in the mirror assured him that he was presentable and he made his way down the stairs, crossing through the living room and heading straight to the front door where Aedan stood waiting, along with New York’s finest.

“I’m Gus Kinney-Peterson,” he said as he approached. “What can I do for you guys?”

“May we come in?”

“Sure,” both men said at the same time, letting the officers in and moving into the living room/entertainment area.

“We have something for you that might come as a shock,” the policeman stated.

“What is it?” Gus asked, fearing some awful pronouncement.

“A bundle was left at the firehouse about an hour ago with a note asking that it be delivered to this address and placed in your hands.”

“What?”

“Mr. Kinney, a child was left at the firehouse with nothing but a note attached to it. Whoever did this placed the basket with the baby in the small alcove we have on one side of our building. It was built years ago, specifically for the purpose of handing over abandoned children with no repercussions to the parents or parent, which was the most common scenario. It hasn’t been used in years, what with the advent of the morning-after pill.”

“Huh?” Gus said, confused and hardly following the conversation.

“It’s been a very long time since anyone has made use of this option but tonight we found this infant. Someone rang the bell and by the time the officer got there all he found was the baby in the basket with a note pinned to his shirt.”

Gus fell on the sofa, in shock over what he was hearing. He looked at Aedan and said, “Aed?”

Aedan sat beside him and grabbed his hand squeezing gently. “It’s okay, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“What exactly is going on, officer?” Aedan asked.

“Someone has left you a baby, sir. A boy, to be exact. He’s probably eight or ten hours old, from what the doctor can determine. He appears to be healthy and he’s been fed and wrapped in clean clothes. I guess congratulations are in order. You are now the proud father of a beautiful little boy.”

“What?” Gus said, bolting up from the sofa and getting in the officer’s face. “Are you guys’ crazy?”

“No, we’re not.”

“Where’s the kid?”

“He’s out in the fire truck with one of the other officers.”

“This must be a mistake, officer?” Aedan said. “Are you sure that Gus’ name was on the paper?”

The officer pulled a white paper out of his pocket and read, _“Please deliver this baby to Mr. Gus Peterson-Kinney, President of Kinnetik, New York, legal partner of Dr. Aedan Hughes, residing at 55 10th St, Manhattan, New York. This child is to be entrusted to his care and his care alone. This is a legal and binding document, Mr. Kinney,”_ the fire chief said. “It’s signed and notarized with a confidentiality clause stating that only the lawyer and the mother of the child know the identities involved. It goes on to say that the mother of the child has signed over all her parental rights to you with only one request. That the name Taylor and Kinney somehow be incorporated into the child’s legal name, with the option of adding on Hughes, should Dr. Hughes choose to adopt the child as well.”

“What the fuck!” Gus said under his breath.

Aedan looked at Gus and asked, “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“No!”

“Who’s the mother?” Aedan asked, his smoky blue eyes turning a deep sapphire in anger.

“How the fuck should I know?” Gus spat out.

“Gentlemen,” the police officer stated. “You need to resolve your issues in private. Right now, we need to deliver this child and be on our way.”

“Whoa, whoa…hold on there officer! You can’t just walk in here in the middle of the night and deliver a bombshell like this and dump a baby in our lap!” Gus said, completely flabbergasted by this turn of events.

“Aedan-do something!”

“What do you want me to do, Gus? It looks like you’ve already done it.”

Gus looked at Aedan in shock and said, “You didn’t just say what I think you said, did you?”

“Hey, the proof is in the pudding, or in this case, that piece of paper.”

“Fuck that! This is not my kid! I can’t believe you’re accusing me of cheating on you!” Gus stood there and looked at Aedan, his cheeks flaming red with indignation.

Aedan shook his head and moved forward, holding Gus and whispering in his ear, “I’m sorry…I don’t know why I said that. Of course you haven’t cheated on me. God, what the fuck was I thinking?”

They stood there and held each other for a few more minutes until the silence was broken by a discreet cough. The police chief said, “I hate to break up this tender moment, but we really need to be on our way. I’m going to get the baby.”

He moved past the two men who were still locked in an embrace and made his way out of the house and over to the fire truck. He was handed the small basket and another bag, presumably with baby supplies and he came back into the house and into the living room and deposited the basket at Gus’ feet.

Gus stepped away in horror, too terrified to look inside. He pushed Aedan towards the basket and said, “You look.”

Aedan bent down and picked up the basket and placed it on the sofa and gently unwrapped the blanket that was covering the baby. The little boy was asleep, peacefully sucking on his blue pacifier, his tiny hand pressed up against his cheek as his mouth made little sucking motions. He had a layer of soft, brown hair that had a few tendrils that had started to curl and eyelashes that were much too long to be wasted on a man-child but were there nonetheless.

“He looks healthy enough,” Aedan stated. “Has he been fed yet?”

“Yes, he was given a bottle about an hour ago. He’s going to need another one in a few hours. There’s formula and some supplies in this bag to get you started. Tomorrow you can buy everything else that you need.”

“You guys are really serious, aren’t you?”

“I’m afraid so. This child is now yours, legally.”

“No he’s not!” Gus said, looking at Aedan in complete shock.

“You’ll have to work this out somehow,” the fire chief said.

“What if I refuse?”

“Then the child will be handed over to the Department of Child Protective Services. They’ll put him up for adoption.”

“Isn’t this illegal somehow? You can’t just abandon your child and get away with it, can you?”

“Normally it would be a crime, however, many years ago a law called the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act was put into effect. Not too many people are aware of it anymore because unwanted pregnancies are dealt with privately and have become so much simpler.”

“So what does this law state?” Gus asked.

“Well, there are many parameters and stipulations, but the bottom line is if a child is abandoned within seventy-two hours of its birth, into the hands of a hospital, manned fire station or other emergency medical facility, the parents or parent will be immune from prosecution. This child is not even twelve hours old according to the physician that examined him. Furthermore, we have the note from the mother, signing over all parental rights.”

“Then why didn’t she just leave the baby on our doorstep? Why go through the fire department?”

“What if you weren’t around, sir? The child would have been sitting on your door step for hours before anyone found him. This way, the mother could rest assured that the child would be cared for immediately, which is the correct thing to do.”

“Maybe you should just take him. I don’t know how I’ve become involved in this, but I think that it’s a mistake.”

“Gus, let’s think about this,” Aedan interjected. “Whoever had this baby wanted to make damn sure it ended up here, with you. They went through a lot of trouble, seeing a lawyer and doing everything right. Once we send these officers away with the baby, we may no longer have any say in the matter. I think we should hold off on any decisions for a few days.”

“I think that’s a wise choice, Dr. Hughes. Once we take the child and hand him over to DCFS I cannot guarantee that you’ll ever see him again.”

“DCFS?” Gus asked.

“The Department of Children and Family Services. Once they get involved it will be an uphill climb through a mountain of paper work. You don’t want that.”

“We don’t?” Gus said, feeling like a complete moron.

“No you don’t, Mr. Kinney.”

The police officer and the fire chief proceeded to move out of the room, shaking Gus’ hand and then Aedan’s, wishing them both good luck. They left without a backward glance, completely oblivious to the fact that two lives were changed irrevocably tonight, three lives if you counted the baby.

Gus and Aedan stood in the living room, staring first at the baby and then at each other, trying to figure out what the hell to do next.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Britin Manor

Brian was in the basement gym having just finished his morning work out. His personal trainer had left and he was about to step into the sauna when he was interrupted by Justin holding a phone in his hand.

“Hey…are you done?”

“Yeah. Come and join me in the steam room.”

“I will but you need to take this call first.”

“Who is it?”

“Gus.”

Brian grabbed the phone and listened in complete silence as Gus told him about last night’s events. When he finally finished, all Brian could think to say was, “Holy Shit! Where’s the kid now?” Brian asked, wiping his forehead with a towel.

“What kid?” Justin interjected.

“I’ll tell you in a minute,” Brian said, holding the phone away from his mouth.

“So, are you and Aedan managing? Do you even know how to change a diaper?”

Brian laughed when he heard Gus’ reply and said, “Sonny Boy, the last time I did that you were a few months old and I swore I’d never do that again. Hire a fucking nanny until we figure out what to do.”

“Nanny? Why does he need a nanny?” Justin asked, completely in the dark.

He grabbed the phone from Brian and said, “Hey Gus. What’s all this about a nanny?”

“Oh my God!” Justin exclaimed after hearing the story. “That’s so incredible! Are you sure this kid isn’t yours?”

“Well of course not, Gus. I’m not suggesting you’ve been cheating on your partner,” Justin said, mouthing ‘what the fuck’ to Brian and listening to Gus’ tirade. “Gus, I didn’t mean anything by that statement. I’m sure Aedan didn’t either when he said something similar last night. No one is accusing you of anything. This is just rather surprising, wouldn’t you say?”

Justin continued to listen to Gus mouthing off on the other side of the phone and he rolled his eyes and passed the phone back to Brian. “Here, you talk to him. He’s semi-hysterical and I don’t know what to say.”

“Sonny boy, calm down okay. We’ll figure this out…I’ll have the lawyers look into it and see what we can do. In the meantime, call an agency and hire someone to come out and help you. There’s no sense in getting all fucked up over some poor kid that no one seems to want.”

Brian listened for a few more minutes and then he said, “Your mother doesn’t need to know what’s going on until you’re ready to tell her. Like I said, get your head out of your ass and go and have a nice stiff drink. Justin and I will take the plane in a few hours and see this miracle child for ourselves.”

Brian disconnected and looked at Justin and said, “Well, doesn’t this read like a bad soap opera? You think Gus is reverting?”

“If he says it’s not his, I believe him; I doubt that he’s gone straight again. He and Aedan are very much in love.”

“That’s what I thought too. God, I just had this horrible thought.”

“What?”

“If Gus has a kid, than I’m a grandfather… I think I’m going to hurl.”

Justin cracked a smile and wrapped his arms around Brian whispering, “You’re the sexiest grandpa I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Oh yeah? Prove it, Sunshine.”

“Prove what, Brian?” Justin asked as he rubbed himself up against Brian like a cat on the prowl.

“Prove that I can still make you crazy after all this time.”

Justin pressed his groin against Brian’s, his hard on easily discernible through the thin fabric of the sweatpant’s. “Isn’t that proof enough?”

“You can do better than that.”

Justin lifted Brian’s t-shirt, exposing his torso, the washboard belly tight as ever. “Take off your shirt,” Justin whispered, as he licked Brian’s nipple and watched with satisfaction as it puckered instantly. “You still make me crazy after all these years,” Justin said in a low growl, his tongue continuing to lave Brian, tasting the salt from his earlier exertions. “What is it now? Thirty-one years?”

“I try not to think of numbers. It’s too depressing.”

Justin wrapped his hands around Brian’s ass pulling him even closer, twin stiffies meeting head-to-head. “Stop talking and just fuck me.”

Brian bent down and captured Justin’s mouth, moaning with satisfaction as his tongue swept familiar territory. They shuffled towards the door of the steam room, not wanting to break away from each other for even one minute. Brian pulled the door open and they moved inside, the steam hitting them hot and moist, enveloping them. They quickly parted and ripped their clothes off in a second, finally naked and ready. Brian moved Justin over to the bench that was designed for more than just sitting. It was wider than your standard version and ergonomically designed to accommodate two grown man lying side-by-side.

Justin moved his lips across Brian’s chest, twirling his tongue around his nipples, nipping at them, sucking until he heard Brian groan. His hand slid down to Brian’s stomach which was now covered with a fine sheen of perspiration, moving in its downward path until Justin felt the impressive erection waiting for him. Brian’s cock was thick and hard, pointing rigidly against his stomach.

“You are so fucking ready,” Justin whispered, his own excitement growing in proportion to Brian’s.

“I’m always ready, Sunshine. That will never change…ride me,” Brian commanded, moving Justin and adjusting himself so that he could be straddled easily. He looked up and watched Justin’s face change, as his cock slid into place easily, enveloped in the tight velvet. Justin’s eyes closed and he tipped his head back, moaning in pleasure as he moved up and down Brian. “God, that feels so good,” Justin sighed, while Brian started to work Justin’s cock, running his thumb in circles over the bulbous head that was dotted with sticky moisture, a precursor of the climax that was about to rip him apart.

“So tight,” Brian moaned as Justin’s body squeezed every bit of him, milking him until he heard the shift in his partner’s voice, the catch in his breath that signaled the need for release.

Brian made a tight fist around Justin’s cock, pumping him until he felt him shoot all over his chest and neck, spraying him with droplets of white while he continued to watch Justin moving up and down in a trance, his mouth slightly open, and his breath coming out in puffs. Finally unable to control it any longer he came, bucking his hips and shuddering fiercely as he felt himself flowing into Justin, warming him from the inside out. Justin collapsed on Brian’s chest, now covered with sweat and spunk and they lay stuck together unable to move.

“Love you,” Brian huffed out, his heart beating faster, strong and steady.

Justin placed his hand on Brian’s cheek and hit him gently, whispering, “You are so fucking hot.”

“I know, I’m burning up in here.”

“I didn’t mean that, but you’re right. We may implode if we don’t get out of here soon.”

They stood up and made their way to the next room for a much needed shower and then they went up to their bedroom and collapsed on the king size bed for a well deserved nap.

Several hours later, they were on their way to New York in Brian’s private jet. Between Brian’s business trips and Justin’s gallery exhibits, the price of the plane had been well worth the money spent as it saved them from the aggravation and the mindless routine at the airport. This way, all they had to do was pick up the phone whenever they needed to be somewhere and the five mile drive to the private airfield was nothing compared to what they would have to endure if they went on a commercial carrier.

The limo was already waiting when their plane landed and they made the normally forty minute drive in thirty because it was Sunday and traffic was light.

Finally, they arrived in the West Village and the car parked in front of the house that Gus and Aedan had purchased when they decided to move to New York and open another Kinnetik.

It was a dark gray stone house with a short driveway leading to a prized garage, the cherry on the sundae of this small jewel they had found. It was a three storey house but it also had a separate apartment below the street level with a private entrance.

Brian and Justin climbed out of the car and walked up to the wrought iron gate that barred the entrance. They heard the buzz, signaling the unlocking of the gate and they climbed up the short steps to the front door and were surprised when Aedan opened it before they even rang the bell.

“Hey, Brian, Justin. Thanks for coming on such short notice,” Aedan said, giving them each a hug and a thump on the back.

“Yeah, well, Gus’ panic didn’t leave much room for argument,” Brian snipped.

“I know. He’s been a wreck since last night. This is really bothering him,” Aedan said.

“It would have sent me into orbit if someone had foisted a kid on me out of the blue,” Brian said realistically.

“You want something to drink?”

“I’ll have some coffee if you have any made,” Brian answered.

“I think there’s a fresh pot. Follow me,” Aedan said as they made their way into the ultra modern kitchen that was all black and stainless steel with splashes of blood red, Gus’ favorite color.

“Where’s Gus?” Brian asked.

“Upstairs, with the baby and the nanny.”

“You’re lucky you were able to get someone on such short notice,” Justin said, “Does she look like Mrs. Doubtfire?”

“She’s a he and hot as fuck!”

“No shit? How’d you manage that?” Brian asked.

“That’s who they sent us. I guess when we told them we were a gay couple they figured we’d want a male nanny. Isn’t that discriminating in a way?”

“Christ!”

“No really, Brian. Aedan is right,” Justin said. “Why would the agency just assume they’d want a male sitter.”

“So you can look at him and stare at his ass rather than pulling your hair out when the kid starts crying,” Gus said, walking into the tail end of the conversation. His voice dripped sarcasm, very much in keeping with his mood since last night’s surprise.

“Now, now Sonny Boy. You mustn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. If they sent you a hottie, sit back and enjoy the view. What’s his name?”

“Who…the hottie or the baby?”

“The stud, of course. Why would I care what the baby’s name is?”

“Because the baby has your name.”

“What?”

“The note that came attached with the child asked that he have Kinney and Taylor in his name somewhere,” Gus said, looking at Justin pointedly.

“Taylor?”

You could have heard a pin drop as all four men sat there and tried to process this new bit of information.

“You can’t be serious?”

“I’m afraid so,” Gus replied. “Have you been dipping your wick in places that are verboten?” Gus asked Justin, turning on a heavy German accent.

“Excuse me?” Justin said as the blood rushed to his cheeks. “How dare you even ask that!”

“Oh lighten up, Sunshine. He’s obviously joking.”

“Come on DJ,” Gus said while he took a mug from the shelf and poured himself some coffee. “I know neither one of you would ever consider sex with a woman. I’m the only one in this room that’s bisexual, so I guess I’m guilty by orientation.”

“We are well aware of that, Gus,” Brian replied, “However, if you say he’s not yours, we believe you. So let’s talk about this kid. Who would choose to have a child, an unwanted child, in this day and age when getting rid of it with a pill or a doctor is so simple?”

“And by the same token,” Gus interjected. “Why me? Why leave the baby in my care when I’m ill equipped to take on fatherhood? Aedan and I haven’t even talked about kids yet. I’m not sure we even want them.”

“Well someone seems to think differently,” Aedan said quietly. “There is someone out there that has just been through nine months of hell and this is the solution they have come up with.”

 

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
  
** Daphne and Alex were staring at the glass doors as they slid open soundlessly, disgorging travelers that had just made their way through the mind numbing customs procedures at JFK International Airport. They were waiting for Sorina and Sasha to arrive after being away all summer. One was coming in from Russia, the other from Spain, fortunately only about an hour apart.  
  
Finally, one familiar face walked through the door. Sorina stepped into the crowd with a young man following closely behind her. He was a good head taller than she was, as most people usually were. She had inherited Justin’s height, along with his beautiful blue eyes and riveting smile, so she was used to being surrounded by people that towered over her. She was a perfect size two in a five-foot-three frame but her presence and charisma made her seem much taller than she actually was. She had her hair down today and it fell in big curls around her shoulders, the darkish blond weaved through with golden highlights, framing her heart shaped face perfectly. She had sunglasses on so all you could see were her lips and these were pursed together in concentration, trying to get past the line of people while she searched the crowd for her parents.  
  
Her dance group had just spent a summer in St. Petersburg, training for the upcoming season of the Russian Ballet Company, a New York based group run by former dancers of the Moscow Ballet. Sorina and Ryan had signed on at the same time and had been dance partners for just under six months. Their pairing was a stroke of genius that Madame Fedarova still gloated over. They looked beautiful together on stage, his dark hair and height the perfect contrast to her diminutive golden presence. Even their personalities were a good match, his seriousness offsetting her mercurial, dramatic temperament. He had endless patience with her diva-like tantrums, giving in to her whims constantly. He was very obviously smitten with Sorina and everyone knew that the feelings were reciprocated. She sought him out as often as he looked for her, her eyes searching for him whenever he was out of sight. Her fellow dancers teased her every minute that Ryan would glance her way. No matter where she was, Ryan’s light gray eyes zeroed in on Sorina, watching her constantly.   
  
Ryan Courrie was tall and slim, a little too thin some would say, but his muscles were well developed, thanks to his bi-weekly weight-lifting program, and clearly apparent when he was in tights. His long arms and legs gave him an almost coltish appearance but when he was on stage he was supremely graceful, with extensions that were phenomenal and when Ryan leaped in the air he appeared to float, it was so effortless. He had an ethereal look to him, a fragility that made you want to touch and coddle him, which was an illusion because he was very strong, physically and mentally. He had never dropped Sorina, no matter how intricate the moves, and when she was in his arms she felt safe and secure.  
  
Ryan’s pale skin was almost translucent as it stretched across high cheek bones, the smooth surface broken up by a few freckles scattered across his nose, giving him the appearance of someone much younger than his actual eighteen years. His nose was undistinguished, but his eyes were arresting, the dove gray orbs framed by almost black eyelashes, making the contrast even more noticeable. His hands were long and slender, with light blue veins showing through. Sorina would tease him about his porcelain skin and he would blame everything on his English mother who had the exact same complexion.  
  
He had a seriousness and determination that showed in a work ethic that was above reproach. He was definitely a rising star in the ballet world, the perfect partner for Sorina and Madame Fedarova had picked up on that as soon as she first laid eyes on him. Ryan had insisted on accompanying Sorina on the flight home, rather than going on the next flight with most of the troupe. They were together constantly anyhow, so this request was no surprise to anyone.   
  
Daphne raised her hand and waved, trying to catch her daughter’s attention.  
  
Sorina saw her immediately and she rushed towards her parents, hurling herself into Daphne’s arms, laughing and crying simultaneously.   
  
“Mama, I’m so glad I’m home. I’ve missed you so much!”  
  
Daphne stood there and hugged her tightly, grateful to have her back. The summer had been long and quiet without the active presence of the girls as they flew in and out of the house.   
  
She pushed Sorina away from her and said, “Let me look at you.”  
  
“What?” her daughter asked, removing her glasses and perching them on her head. “Have I grown a third eye?”  
She waited patiently while her parents scrutinized her, all the while taking note of the fact that they too had changed over the course of the last few months. Daphne’s face seemed a little thinner, the twin lines between her eyebrows a lot more apparent, probably due to the stress of trying to pull it all together for the upcoming move. She and Alex had spent most of the summer commuting between Manhattan and Pittsburgh, furnishing the apartment, getting it ready for the arrival of the twins. Alex looked tired as well, his receding hairline much more prominent as he fast approached his fiftieth birthday.   
  
“You’ve changed a little. Hasn’t she Alex?”  
  
Alex looked at Sorina for a second and then enveloped her in a tight embrace. “You look beautiful,” he whispered gently into her ear.  
  
“Thank you, Papa. I’ve missed you both so much! I didn’t think I would, but I did. I guess that’s a good thing, right?”   
  
“Right,” Daphne said, smiling at her daughter fondly. “You must be Ryan,” Daphne said, extending her hand.   
  
“Oh, sorry,” Sorina said under her breath. “Mama, Papa, this is Ryan Courrie.”   
  
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Alex remarked.   
  
“Good things, I hope,” Ryan said, a tentative smile showing off his straight, white teeth.   
  
“Of course,” Alex smiled back. “Are your parents coming to get you?”  
  
“Yes. I called them as soon as the plane landed.”  
  
“What time does Sasha’s plane get in?” Sorina asked Daphne.   
  
“Any minute now,” Daphne replied. “The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Last time I checked, the flight from Madrid will be arriving in just a few minutes. Why don’t you go with Ryan and your Papa and claim your suitcases. Sasha should be here by the time you get back.”  
  
“’Kay,” Sorina replied, latching on to Ryan’s hand and pulling him towards the escalator with Alex following shortly behind them.   
  
Daphne continued to keep her eyes glued to the doors leading to the custom’s area when she felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned and looked into her other daughter’s hazel eyes.  
  
“Oh my God! Where did you come from?” she exclaimed, pulling Sasha into her arms and embracing her tightly.   
  
“We took an earlier flight, so Ria and I decided to get our stuff and wander around the duty free shops.”   
  
“Ria!” Daphne exclaimed, addressing the young woman standing beside the two suitcases. “You’re looking well.”  
  
“Gracias, Tia,” Ria said, slipping into Spanish easily, bending forward to kiss Daphne on her cheek. She was a year older than the twins and had become fast friends with Sasha over the three-and-a-half months they spent apprenticing in Molly’s studio. Maria Rosario Garcia was the daughter of Molly’s brother-in-law, not quite a relative to Sasha, but close enough to be called a cousin, twice removed. She and Sasha had gravitated towards each other when Sasha arrived in Madrid and had become inseparable since then. Ria made up for the loss of not having Sorina. It was the first time the twins were separated since birth so Ria had almost become Sasha’s surrogate sister.  
  
“You’ve grown since I last saw you,” Daphne mentioned.   
  
“Have I?” Sasha replied.   
  
“Yes, you look really good Sash. I love the way you have your hair! The reddish brown streaks look really natural and I’m glad you’ve decided to stop straightening it.”  
  
“It just became too much work and I didn’t want to waste my time fussing with it.”  
  
“Well, it looks nice, sweetie,” Daphne said, pushing away a lock of hair that had fallen across Sasha’s forhead. “Your complexion is better too, although I’m not too crazy about that nose stud thing. When did you get that?”  
  
“I don’t remember, shortly after I got to Madrid. Don’t you like it?”  
  
“Not really. People are going to think you’re a member of some religious sect.”  
  
“I doubt that anyone is a religious order can afford a diamond like this. Besides, with my skin coloring, I can pass for an Indian. Maybe they’ll think I’m a Punjabi princess,” Sasha said, amusement heavy in her voice.  
  
“Is that part of the set you’re Dads gave you when they had their wedding?”  
  
“Yeah. I converted it, changing the post and the backing.”  
  
“Well, the jury’s still out on that. We’ll have to discuss it further, see how everyone else feels, okay?”  
  
“Whatever, Mom,” Sasha replied.   
  
“The Spanish food hasn’t ruined your figure at all; in fact it seems to have agreed with you. You’ve lost some weight.”   
  
The girls turned towards each other and burst out laughing.   
  
“What’s so funny?” Daphne asked.  
  
“We subsist on coffee and chocolates…we are so not healthy,” Sasha threw out, choking on her laughter.   
  
“And I suppose you’re smoking too?” Daphne asked, shaking her head, expecting an affirmative answer.  
  
“Once in a while. Everyone in Europe smokes, Mama. It’s no big deal.”  
  
“Honey, it is a big deal. You know how Papa and I feel about that habit, so don’t even think about smoking in our house. I will not put up with it.”  
  
“Whatever,” Sasha said again, accompanied by the eye roll. “So glad I’m home, Mom.”   
  
“Oh stop. You know you missed my nagging,” Daphne said, hugging her.   
  
“Sasha!” Sorina screamed from thirty feet away, and the girls all rushed towards each other and stood in the middle of all the chaos, jumping up and down, hugging and laughing while Ryan stood off to the side and watched, a smile tugging at his lips. Daphne moved over to where Alex stood, surrounded by suitcases and they held hands as they watched the twins catch up after almost four months of being apart. It was wonderful to finally have everyone home, safe and sound.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Brian and Justin had chosen to spend the night with Gus and Aedan, to discuss the child and all the ramifications of his presence.   
  
“Let’s assume that whoever did this is related to us, somehow,” Brian stated, holding a glass of Cognac in his hand. They had just finished the simple steak and potato dinner that Aedan had prepared for them and they were sitting in the living room relaxing and having drinks.   
  
“That’s not possible,” Gus said. “I’m your only son, and I know I didn’t do it.”  
  
“Okay, then throw me another scenario, Gus.”  
  
“Has anyone ever donated sperm to a sperm bank?” Aedan threw out.  
  
“I did, years ago, before I had my ball removed. Just in case,” Brian said quietly.  
  
“I didn’t know that,” Justin said, completely taken aback. “How come you never told me?”  
  
“It never came up.”  
  
“But you didn’t want anymore kids after Gus.”  
  
“I didn’t, but I realized that maybe you might, so I saved some sperm just in case.”  
  
“Awww, that was so sweet,” Justin said and stood up and went to sit beside Brian, giving him a loud and wet kiss.  
  
“Yeah, yeah…don’t get all sloppy.”  
  
“Where is it now?” Gus asked.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Your sperm.”  
  
“I assume it’s still in a freezer somewhere. I never authorized them to destroy or donate it.”  
  
“And they cannot inseminate anyone without your permission, is that correct?” Gus asked.  
  
“Absolutely.”  
  
“Does anyone else have anything to disclose?” Aedan asked.  
  
“Well, since we’re playing show and tell I may as well come clean,” Gus said.  
  
“What did you do?” Brian asked.  
  
“Remember that summer that Austin spent with us at Britin? Just before the twins were conceived?”  
  
“When you were both horny little shits vying for the attention of that tennis instructor.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“What about it?”  
  
“Austin got her pregnant.”  
  
“The fuck he did!”  
  
“Yup, but I helped pay for the abortion.”  
  
“With what money?” Brian asked, flabergasted.  
  
“We sold our sperm and came up with the money we needed.”  
  
“Why didn’t you just ask me, Gus?”  
  
“Austin was too embarrassed and I told him I’d respect his privacy.”  
  
“So you and Austin marched yourselves off to a sperm bank and made a donation even though you were both underage. That is against the fucking law!”   
  
“We had fake ID’s and we didn’t look like we were under eighteen.”  
  
“Unbelievable,” Brian said, putting his drink up to his mouth and draining the glass in one gulp.  
  
“So, for all you know, you may have kids scattered all over the globe and I may be a grandfather many times over.” Brian turned to Justin and said, “I really think I’m going to go and throw up.”  
  
Justin grabbed Brian’s hand and said, “Take a breath there, drama king. If you had grandkids we would have heard about it by now.”  
  
“Is there anyone else?” Aedan asked. “We may as well explore all the possibilities.”  
  
“Well, now that you mention it,” Justin said, looking embarrassed, two white spots appearing high on his cheek bones.  
  
“What the fuck, Sunshine? You too?”  
  
“It was the New York period, Brian. I was all out of money and I needed to buy more supplies, not to mention the fact that I was tired of eating Ramen noodles.”  
  
“And again, no one bothered to ask me for money?”  
  
“We weren’t together and I would have rather starved than ask you for anything. I had something to prove,” Justin threw out, getting all huffy.  
  
“Christ! So that might explain the request to add the Taylor to this kid’s name.”  
  
“What about you, Aedan? You have any secrets?”  
  
“Not that I can recall.”  
  
“How very lucky for you,” Brian said, tongue-in-cheek.  
  
“I can honestly say I haven’t touched a woman since I was in my early twenties. I’m almost forty seven years old, Brian. I would think that if I had gotten anyone pregnant it would have happened long ago.”  
  
“And no surprises back then, right?” Gus asked.  
  
“Right. Once I came out, I never touched another female again. There’s no way this baby is related to me.”  
  
“Okay,” Brian said. “So for now, we can assume this kid is either Gus’, Justin’s or mine. It that how we’re going to play this?”  
  
“How else?” Gus asked. “Thinking this is a random thing would be ridiculous, not to mention the fact that it would be impossible for me to make any kind of commitment to this child’s welfare if I didn’t think he was an actual relative.”  
  
“I never realized you could be so heartless,” Justin said, looking at Gus with surprise written all over his face.  
  
Gus leaped up from the sofa and said, “That’s bullshit, DJ and you know it! I’m very much a caring person. It’s just that this is such a shock and I couldn’t possibly pretend to care about a complete stranger, especially since I’m supposed to be his legal parent. It will just sit better if I think he’s related somehow.”   
  
“So what do you think happened?” Justin asked. “They changed their mind once the baby was born? Didn’t this couple realize you can’t send a baby back if you have regrets?”  
  
“How do you know they are a couple?” Brian said. “What if it was some lezzie that decided her biological clock was ticking like mad and then she had a million doubts after she did it?”  
  
“That’s fucking insane! Don’t they give these people psychological evaluations before they hand out sperm like so much popcorn?” Justin asked, indignant. “Thank God that baby ended up here. He could have been thrown in a dumpster for all we know.”  
  
“He’s a beautiful boy,” Aedan threw in, to try and break up some of the tension. “Have any of you looked at him?”  
  
“No, not really,” Brian said.  
  
“No,” Justin seconded.  
  
“I’ve been trying not to,” Gus replied. “I can’t pick him up-he’s so little I might break him.”  
  
“Gus, I already told you, infants don’t break. They’re very pliable,” Aedan said. “Come on, everyone get up. Let’s go and meet this baby.”  
  
All four men stood up and made their way up the stairs to the bedrooms on the top floor. They had placed the baby and the ‘manny’ in one of the guestrooms.  
  
They walked in and Brian said, “He is beautiful.”  
  
Aedan looked at Brian and raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t mean the twink who’s holding him Brian.”  
  
“I did,” Brian grinned, feasting his eyes on the blue-jeans clad, bubble- butt, blond ‘manny’ in front of him.   
  
Justin looked at his partner and made a face. “Get serious, will you?”  
  
“Hey, I’ve never been more serious about anything. What’s your name?” he asked the blond babysitter.  
  
“Dane.”  
  
“Of course. And what a great Dane you are,” Brian threw out, trying very hard not to laugh, ignoring Justin who jabbed him with his elbow.  
  
“May I?” Justin asked, reaching for the infant.  
  
Dane handed the baby over to Justin and stood off to the side, completely amused by the scene around him. When they told him he’d be sitting for a gay couple, he didn’t realize that he’d be surrounded by four of the most gorgeous men he’d ever seen in his life. This assignment was turning into so much more; he couldn’t believe his good fortune.   
  
“He is beautiful,” Justin said softly, so as not to startle the baby. He looked down and the little boy opened his eyes. Justin’s head snapped up and he said, “Brian, come here please.”  
  
Brian moved over to where Justin stood and looked down at the little boy. The baby stared up at the two heads that were hovering over him, his swimming pool blue eyes bright and inquisitive, hardly blinking. Brian looked at Justin and said, “He’s yours.”  
  
“You think so?” Justin said in wonderment.  
  
Gus moved over to see what they were looking at and they heard his quick intake of air when he saw the baby’s eyes. “There’s only one person in this room with blue eyes,” Gus said, “And Aedan doesn’t count because he never donated sperm.”  
  
“You are all jumping to conclusions,” Aedan said. “The mother’s eyes may have been blue. They are the dominant color so this baby could be Gus’ or Brian’s, just as easily.   
  
“He’s so cute,” Justin said. “Gus, what are you going to call him? We need a name.”  
  
“We’ll call him Taylor.”  
  
“Taylor?” Justin said.  
  
“Yes,” Gus answered firmly, leaving no room for discussion. “His name will be Taylor Hughes Kinney and we’ll call him Tay for short.”  
  
TBC

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

****It all started with a flower, a beautiful rose, no bigger than a small tomato, but a rose nonetheless. The flower was always wrapped in pretty cellophane, a different color for each day of the week. She searched for a note, but never found one. The rose would appear unexpectedly, in the most unusual places, but never in the same place twice. It was impossible to figure out who the messenger was because she never knew where or when the flower would make its appearance. All she knew for sure was that she had a secret admirer.

She kept this secret friend to herself, afraid that it might be a mistake. She wondered if the rose was really meant for her. She wasn’t the type of girl that men fawned over and the only flowers she’d ever received were from her parents. So she waited, the anticipation of the unknown driving her to distraction.

After about two weeks, her admirer added a pack of cigarettes. A brand she had taken to smoking occasionally. He must have seen her sharing a smoke with a friend. Noticed and remembered.

There was a new pack every three or four days but the rose continued to come every day without fail. She ended up cutting the stem and putting the flower in her hair each morning whether she had it up in a clip or down around her shoulders. Soon it became her trademark, the young girl with the rose in her hair.

Finally, after a month, he showed his hand. She was standing at the ATM machine near the Starbucks and he came up behind her and bent forward to whisper in her ear.

_Are you enjoying the flowers?_

She jumped, the shock of the voice and the face that went with it sending her heart racing. “Yes,” she managed, tongue tied and awestruck by the identity of her mystery suitor.

_I knew you would like them. They remind me of you._

“Me?”

_Yes, you. They’re beautiful…just like you are..._

“Thanks…thank you,” she answered, her cheeks flaming red with embarrassment, unused to such compliments. She was riveted by his azure eyes, his aura and body language so attractive to her. She’d noticed his looks the very first time she’d walked into his class.

_You want to have a coffee with me?_

“Should I?”

_Why not? It’s not unheard of…_

“I don’t think I should. Won’t people talk?”

_Who?_

“Anyone, no one…I guess I can,” she stammered. “I sound so silly.”

_You’re not silly, you’re sweet…_

It was the start of a ritual that continued for weeks-meeting at the Starbucks around five o’clock for a quick coffee, a shared anecdote, a brief touch, when hands reached for the lighter at the same time. His were large and square, shovel hands, she’d tease, nails clipped short, buffed to a shine. Hers seemed so tiny when he’d take them in his large ones and admire them, eventually bringing the hand up to his mouth for a kiss. His lips were full and felt like silk as he pressed them to her wrist, all the while staring at her with sparkling blue eyes.

_You’re beautiful and so talented. You’ll have the world at your feet in a few years._

“Stop it…please, you’re embarrassing me. I’m nothing special.”

_You’re wrong…you don’t know how special you really are…_

“You’re the one with the talent….”

_I have skills. What you have is extraordinary; I knew it from the first moment I saw your work._

She blushed…her heart racing with delight. No one had ever said anything like this to her. He always made her feel so special, so beautiful. He reminded her of the one other person in her life that made her feel this way. They were around the same age; they even looked alike, except for the eyes. They both had dark hair and full lips and a smile that came easy.

She wondered what he would think if she told him about her attraction to this older man. He’d probably tell her to forget about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The baby’s crying woke him from a sound sleep. Aedan had always been a light sleeper, unlike Gus who seemed to be able to sleep through anything. He lay there hoping the baby would quiet down, but the crying continued unabated, alarming him.

They had placed the baby and Dane in the guestroom down the hall, close enough to reach in a hurry, but a little too close to ignore the sounds that were now increasing as the baby’s crying sounded more desperate. He threw the covers off and made his way to the nursery, dressed in pajama bottoms and nothing else. The night light was on and Dane was pacing with the child, rocking him gently, crooning.

“Is there a problem?” Aedan asked.

“I think he may be a little colicky. He always cries around this time of the night.”

“It’s too bad his mother didn’t send a years supply of breast milk. That usually helps, doesn’t it?” Aedan asked.

“Not always. He might be allergic to regular milk. If he is, we should switch him to soy or whey.”

“I’ll make an appointment with the pediatrician.”

“It makes a huge difference in their temperament.”

“How do you know so much about babies?” Aedan asked, looking at the blond who was holding Tay. He looked like he was twenty-years-old, which he wasn’t. Aedan knew from his resume that he was thirty-two.

“I was the oldest of eight. My parents didn’t have much money.”

“But they kept having kids?”

“They’re catholic.”

“Oh.”

“Can I hold him?” Aedan asked.

“Sure, just hold his head like this and then put your arm just so,” Dane instructed, positioning the boy in Aedan’s arms comfortably.

The baby’s crying slowed down to a soft mewling and soon he was resting comfortably in Aedan’s arms. “I’m going to take him to our room for a bit, okay?”

“That’s fine. Just call if you need me.”

Aedan made his way back to the master bedroom and he slid in to bed and placed the baby in between him and Gus. Gus rolled over when he felt the movement and looked at Aedan and then the baby who was sleeping comfortably. “He’s so fucking cute,” he mumbled, sticking his nose near the baby’s head and inhaling. “And he smells so good.”

“He’s beautiful.”

Gus sat up and crossed his legs, watching Aedan. “You’re really into this kid, aren’t you?”

Aedan looked at Tay tenderly and said, “He’s hard to resist.”

“I wish I knew where he came from,” Gus said, getting off the bed and moving over to the window that overlooked their miniscule back yard. He looked a lot like Brian in this familiar pose, leaning against the wall, his dark hair falling on his forehead. The only thing missing was a cigarette, a habit he’d never picked up and one which Brian had finally given up several years ago. You could see every line of muscle and tendon in his lean body, clad in black briefs and nothing else. He turned to Aedan and said, “We’ve never talked about starting a family.”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t want one, does it?”

“It’s crossed my mind.”

“I sense a ‘but’ coming next.”

“I didn’t think it would be possible.”

“Anything’s possible, Gus.”

“Yeah, but is it feasible?”

He moved back to the bed and got in, pushing the pillows up against the black leather head board and leaned up on it. He knew that Aedan was waiting for an answer.

“I suppose I just put it out of my mind when I started my relationship with you,” Gus stated, trying to verbalize his feelings. “I never thought we’d have kids.”

“There are lots of gay couples with families. You, of all people, should know this.”

“Of course I do. I just never thought I’d want one badly enough to go through all the trouble of finding someone to carry a child for me. I don’t have a relationship with a woman like my Dad had with my mom or DJ with Daphne.”

“But someone out there thinks that Tay belongs in this house.”

“I know…it’s surreal. I can’t believe he’s actually here.” Gus leaned over and picked up the baby and cradled him, smoothing the soft brown hair that seemed to be getting more plentiful overnight. “When I look at him, at how innocent and helpless he is, I just want him to be safe and happy, regardless of whom his parents are.”

“A paternity test could determine which one of you fathered him.”

“I suppose so, but does it really matter, Aed? Would you send him back, if he weren’t mine?”

“No-of course not.”

“So what’s the point?”

“Just knowing, I guess. You know me, Gus. I’m a scientist, I want to know everything.”

“Maybe we should wait and see what the courts decide before we go any further with this,” Gus said, touching Tay gently, caressing his soft cheek with his thumb. “I don’t want you to get hurt if they take him away.”

“The only way they’ll take him is if his mother changes her mind.”

“I thought she gave up her rights?” Gus questioned, handing the baby back to Aedan. “She can’t flip and flop at will, can she?”

“The courts most always rule in favor of the mother, especially if they determine that she gave him up under duress. I think we should get a lawyer.”

“We have a lawyer Aedan. Two of them!”

“Stupid me, I forgot.”

“I’ll call Jen tomorrow and tell her what’s going on. In the meantime, we need to talk to Dane and keep him on a full-time basis. I like him, don’t you?”

Aedan looked at Gus for the longest time and said, “Can’t we get a regular female nanny?”

“Why?”

“The boy is going to need some female influence. They do exist in the world, you know?” Aedan said.

“I hadn’t noticed.”

Aedan laughed out loud and leaned over to kiss Gus’ cheek. “Dane is too hot to be our ‘manny’.”

“Are you jealous?” Gus asked, surprised and touched at the same time.

“It would help if you stopped looking at his ass every time he walked by.”

Gus laughed softly and bent over to nuzzle Aedan on his neck. He moved his mouth up to Aedan’s and started licking at his lips, tracing his mouth with his tongue. “The only ass I’m interested in is yours,” he whispered, capturing Aedan’s mouth and kissing him fiercely.

“Take the baby back to his room, and hurry,” Gus said, pulling Aedan’s hand down to his groin. “Feel that?”

“Yes,” Aedan huffed out.

“It needs your undivided attention.”

“I’ll be right back,” he said, moving off the bed with the baby while Gus lay back and watched him go.

“Aed?”

“What?” Aedan asked, turning to look at Gus who was stretched out on the bed. He had removed his briefs and he lay there, playing with his cock, a vision that automatically elicited a soft groan and a rush of saliva. Unlike most gay men, Gus had no interest in ‘manscaping’. His chest had a light layer of fur that never failed to raise Aedan’s blood pressure. He loved nothing more than to run his hands over the soft hair, moving down to another area that also never saw a razor or a pot of wax. It was one of the things about Gus that Aedan found so attractive; his desire to remain natural, a huge difference from most of the men Aedan had ever been with who thought hairless was an essential part of being gay.

“You’re the only one that does this to me,” Gus said, his voice soft with desire.

“Don’t fucking move,” Aedan said as he quickly left the room with Tay in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Have you seen my sweatshirt?” Sasha asked Sorina.

“No. Maybe it’s in the hallway with our other stuff.”

“I’ve looked everywhere,” Sasha said, a frown creasing her forehead.  
She left Sorina’s room and wandered around the apartment, looking everywhere for her gray sweatshirt, the one with the ‘Real Madrid’ logo on it. She didn’t even remember the last time she saw it; her mind was in such a fog. It seemed as if everything was happening at once, their graduation, the summer in Spain, the move to New York and now, starting at Pratt.

In the kitchen, Daphne was sitting with Justin and Ria over coffee and donuts.

“Hey sweetie,” Justin said, as soon as she walked in.

“Daddy,” she exclaimed, delighted to see her biological father. “When did you get in?” She moved over to where he was sitting and buzzed him on his cheek.

“Your Dad and I have been in and out of New York for the last few days.”

Justin was taken aback by the differences in Sasha’s appearance. It had only been four months since he’d last seen her but she seemed to have blossomed into a young woman overnight. The baby fat was gone and in its place were prominent cheek bones that accentuated the beautiful hazel eyes that were so very reminiscent of Brian’s. Her hair fell in abundant curls around her shoulders; the rich brown intermixed with reddish highlights. They glinted as the rays of sunshine peeked through the windows of the apartment Daphne and Alex had purchased months ago in anticipation of this move to New York.

“You look beautiful, Sasha. Cool nose ring!”

“Oh please, Justin. Don’t encourage her.” Daphne turned back to Sasha and said, “I really want that thing gone by the time you go to school in two weeks. Diamond studs are meant for your ears, not your nose.”

“Is that part of the set that Brian and I got you?”

“Yeah…I modified it.”

“It’s really pretty...makes you look exotic and mysterious.”

“Thanks, but Mama thinks I’m a freak!”

“I just don’t like surprises and this was one of them.”

“What’s the other?” Justin asked.

“She smokes!”

“Everyone in Europe smokes.”

“This is not Europe,” Daphne said, annoyed that everything seemed to be so out of her control. She stood up and went over to the sink to rinse out her cup and put it on the drain board.

“Well, if you don’t like surprises, you all better sit down,” Justin announced.

“What do you mean?” Sasha asked.

“What surprise?” Sorina asked, catching the tail end of the conversation. She grabbed a donut from the pile and plopped herself down on a chair. “What are you guys talking about?” she asked, with a mouthful of sweetness.

“We had a surprise phone call from Gus on Sunday.”

“Oh?”

“You guys have a new nephew.”

“What?” Daphne said in shock.

Ria spewed coffee out of her nose, which started a coughing fit. She stood abruptly and moved over to the sink.

“Are you okay, Ria?”

“I’m fine, Tia. It went down the wrong pipe.”

“You mean, tube.”

“Eso.”

“Okay. So, what did you mean by the new nephew statement?” Daphne asked, turning her attention back to Justin.

“Someone left Gus and Aedan a surprise package Saturday night.”

“Package?”

Justin proceeded to tell the four women the story and when he got done they were all looking at him stunned.

“That’s incredible! This stuff only happens in the tabloids.”

“Or in fairytales,” Justin smiled.

“Are they keeping him?” Ria asked from across the room. Her eyes were still moist from the coughing fit and her cheeks were flush, accentuating her dark eyes and long lashes.

“I guess so. They’ve already named him.”

“What?” Sasha asked.

“Taylor,” Justin stated. “They’ve named him Taylor Hughes Kinney, but they’re calling him Tay.”

“I like that,” Sasha said, leaning forward in her chair, staring at her father intently. “Do you mind him having your name?”

“It’s fine with me.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Sorina said as her eyes welled up with tears.

Justin turned to her, surprised by the show of emotion. He reached across the table and touched her gently, “What is it sweetie?”

“This is like a movie or a ballet, it’s so touching…”

“Sorina…would you stop with the drama!” Sasha said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Not everything is about theater."

“You are such a hard-ass,” Sorina spat out. “You have the emotional make-up of a frog.”

“Oh, I’m plenty emotional, believe me!” Sasha said, glaring at her sister.

“Girls, will you settle down! I think we’re digressing here,” Daphne stated, ever the peace maker.

“So, they are keeping the baby, si?” Ria asked Justin again.

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Gracias a Dios,” she replied, making the sign of the cross.

Sasha stood abruptly and moved to leave the kitchen, grabbing Ria’s hand in the process. “Come on, we have things to do.”

“I’ll see you later, Daddy,” Sasha tossed out as she left the room with Ria following meekly behind her.

“Later, sweetie.”

TBC

Chapter 4 will not post until Saturday, June 21. I'll be away starting on the 13th. Off to Spain to visit with relatives. Thanks for you patience:)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

****Brian stood as Melanie and Jenny walked into the conference room at Kinnetik, Pittsburgh. Melanie looked very professional in a black suit with a white shell under her tailored jacket. Her dark hair was shot through with gray but on her it looked attractive, making her seem distinguished. She was still slim and had killer legs, even at sixty.

Jenny, on the other hand, was in the last throes of a difficult pregnancy. She was uncomfortable and ungainly and it showed.

“Well, you look like a beached whale.”

“Thanks Uncle Brian. I can always count on you to make me feel good.”

Brian laughed and grabbed Jenny’s face and kissed her on the lips. “I was just kidding…you look radiant.”

“Oh God, I’m so ready to be done with this. I can’t wait to have this child and next time I even mention the word pregnant, shoot me!”

“Your father is beside himself with anticipation,” Brian said, pulling a chair out and easing Jenny into it. “I bumped into him at Starbucks the other day and he gave me a dissertation on car seats,” Brian grinned.

“He’s already equipped the entire nursery. Austin and I haven’t bought a thing,” Jenny said with a shake of her head.

“It brings him pleasure, sweetie, plus it takes his mind off of Ben,” Melanie said quietly, thinking about last year and Ben’s sudden demise. His death had been gut wrenching for everyone and it was only Jenny’s pregnancy that seemed to get Michael out of his deep depression.

“Do you know what you’re going to have?” Brian asked.

“It’s a boy…we’re going to name him Benjamin Victor.”

“Your Dad will love that.”

“I know…Austin is fine with it, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

“Well, your son already has a playmate…it will be the new dynamic duo…Benjie and Tay.”

“What?” Melanie said.

“What are you talking about?” Jenny asked. “Who’s Tay?”

Brian proceeded to fill them in, ending with Gus’ decision to name the child Taylor.

“Wow,” Jenny said.

“Holy crap,” Melanie chimed in.

“No shit,” Brian replied.

“Who’s kid is it?” Melanie asked.

“No clue.”

“There must be some way to find out, Mom,” Jenny stated. “This is the twenty-first century, not eighteen-hundred-twelve. We have all the technology available to find out.”

“Maybe so; we just haven’t gotten that far,” Brian answered. “Gus and Aedan have pretty much decided to adopt him legally, regardless of who the father is or isn’t. They’ve already fallen in love with this kid and they’ve only had him for ten days.”

“Well, we need to insure that everything is legal and iron-clad. We don’t want any surprises two or three years down the road,” Melanie said.

“My point, exactly. I don’t want any custody battles in the future. If they are going to raise this kid, I want to make sure that no one can take him away if and when the real parents have a change of heart.”

“Even though we have an iron-clad document, there’s always that possibility,” Melanie stated realistically.

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s say that three years from now the child’s mother changes her mind. She can petition the courts to look into maybe sharing custody of the kid. Anything can happen and judges usually will give the biological mother every advantage, especially if the child was given up for good reasons.”

“Well, that’s fucked!”

“It is,” Jenny seconded. “The best we can do is to go through every measure possible to find out who the child’s parents are so that we can approach them and make sure this is what they really want, before it gets anymore involved.”

“Too late for that,” Brian stated. “I don’t think Gus and Aedan will give Tay up that easily. They have gotten into this father thing big-time.”

“Really?” Jenny said, a big smile on her face. “That is so cute.”

“Oh yeah, one of the guest rooms has been converted into a nursery. They had Justin paint a huge mural…some fanciful thing with farm animals and whatnots, I can’t remember, I just know it was very involved and took up several days of his time. Christ, if they were ordinary citizens Justin could have charged them at least a hundred grand for that piece.”

“Well, considering the boy is named Taylor, I would think that Justin is personally involved in this. Is the child his?” Melanie asked.

“I told you, Mel. We don’t know. It could be any one of ours.”

“How do you figure that?” Jenny asked.

“Sperm donations over the years.”

“All of you?”

“Yup, at different times.”

“What-the-fuck!”

“Jenny Rebecca!”

“Sorry, Mom.”

“Alright, we are getting off topic here. What exactly would you like us to do, Brian?”

“Whatever it takes. Tie it up legally. Make sure that Gus and Aedan are the child’s legal parents. If you need to hire an investigator to make this tighter than a twink’s ass, do it!”

“Oh God Brian, I didn’t need that visual.”

Brian laughed at Melanie’s look and said, “Sorry…couldn’t resist.”

“Okay then,” Melanie said, standing up and gathering her papers. “We’ll do whatever it takes. Jenny?”

“Coming Mom,” Jen replied as she struggled out of her seat. “I’ll call Gus and get any particulars we might need,” Jenny stated.

“Okay…and thanks for doing this,” Brian said.

“Oh, you’ll be getting a bill…believe me,” Melanie said with a straight face.

“I expected nothing less.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Sorina looked out at the twinkling lights of the New York skyline from her bedroom window. It was late and no one was awake except for her. She was too excited to sleep, her body clock still out of whack from jet lag. Her nerves had been on edge ever since she got back from Russia because she had finally been released by Fedarova and would be starting with the New York Ballet next week. She and Ryan had received tentative contracts based on recommendations from the school in Pittsburgh and the one they trained at in St. Petersburg.

They were the only two students that had been chosen to join the New York based ballet company and the pressure of meeting their high standards was another reason she couldn’t sleep. She knew she was good and she knew that her pairing with Ryan couldn’t be more perfect. Her insecurities lay in the fact that she would no longer be top dog, she’d have to prove to the decision makers that she was every bit as good as Fedarova had made her out to be. She and Ryan would have to fight to get the better roles, something she wasn’t used to. To date, everything had been handed to her by Madame, as if it were her due.

The only comfort she derived was in the fact that everyone in her support system was here, in New York. She wouldn’t have to go through this by herself. Sasha was finally back, although they seemed to have lost a bit of their former closeness due to the most recent separation but she had no doubt that it would return, stronger than ever. They had always confided in each other and she couldn’t imagine that it would be any other way. It had not been possible to sit with her for any quality time because of the madness that surrounded their return, especially now that Ria was here to stay for the incoming school year. That had been unexpected, but she seemed nice enough, and Sasha was more than willing to share her bedroom with her so having a fifth person in their tiny three-bedroom condominium wasn’t going to impact anyone’s privacy.

Daphne and Alex had decided not to sell their home in Pittsburgh due to the fact that despite all their good intentions, neither one had been able to move their practice to New York City. Alex had been made head of the Department of Neurology and Daphne’s practice was thriving. It would have been completely impractical to try and uproot themselves and start over. What they opted to do instead was buy the condo in the upper West side and take turns commuting to be with the girls. It would be hard on them but it was the best plan for the time being. Having Gus and Aedan in the same city was also a factor that had been taken into consideration and originally the girls were going to live with them, one reason the men had bought the home with the separate apartment. They wanted the girls close but were more than happy to respect their privacy.

That all changed when Daphne decided she needed to be around for them, to at least have some sort of role in their lives, albeit part-time. She was not ready to relinquish control over her daughters yet, she felt they were still too young, although in many states they were old enough to marry and have children. Daphne didn’t see it that way and Alex and Justin both agreed.

So a schedule was worked out, and with the help of Brian and Justin, and with the added advantage of having a private jet, the commuting part of their lives had begun.

Sorina’s thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of her cell phone. It was Ryan, calling from the apartment he shared with two other dancers. The housing arrangements facilitated by the company secretary.

“Hi.”

“Can’t sleep?” Ryan asked.

“No…jet lagged I guess. You?”

“Same. Sorina?”

“What?”

“I miss you.”

“Ryan…”

“It’s true! I’ve been with you twenty-four-seven for almost four months. It’s weird not being able to walk across the hall and knock on your bedroom door.”

“You’ll get used to it. What are your roomies like?”

“They’re both gay.”

“So?”

“Nothing, just thought I’d mention it. It makes it a little awkward.”

“How?”

“I can’t walk around here half-naked. Not that I’d want to.”

“I’m sure they realize you’re straight and will respect that. Besides, there’s not much left to the imagination when you’re dressed in tights. What difference do clothes make at this point. I’m sure you don’t have anything they don’t.”

“Let’s change the subject,” Ryan said.

“You brought it up.”

“Sorina?”

“What?”

“Have you thought about it some more?”

“Ryan, I don’t think I’m ready yet. It’s a big commitment.”

“I know, but I’m willing to make it.”

“I don’t want it to affect our dancing.”

“How can it?”

“I‘ve heard all the horror stories.”

“Those stories don’t pertain to us. I love you and that’s the big difference.”

“I love you too…I’m just not ready to take the next step.”

“You said you were going to talk to Sasha.”

“We haven’t had a chance yet.”

“When will you?”

“When the time is right…don’t pressure me!”

“Sorina,” Ryan’s voice turned husky. “I want you.”

“Oh God…stop it right now.”

“I can’t help myself. All I think about is you in my arms.”

“You’ve got to snap out of this, Ryan. We need to concentrate on our dancing for now. There will be time for sex later.”

“I’ve waited over six months…that’s a long time.”

“Well, you’ll just have to wait some more. Besides,” she threw in petulantly, “I let you do other things.”

“I want more.”

“Ryan!”

“Ryan, nothing! I’m tired of waiting.”

“Well, too bad! I’m not ready yet. Go and fuck some one else, if you must. I’m sure you’ll find plenty who are willing and able.”

“I don’t want anyone else!”

Sorina started to cry, the tears falling in heavy drops down her cheek’s. She tried to pretend all was okay but her voice cracked and Ryan knew instantly what he had done.

“Sorina…please don’t cry.”

“I can’t help it…you’re being such a dick head.”

“I know…that’s what’s pushing me…my dick.”

Sorina laughed, despite her tears. “Ryan, please don’t be so impatient. I need to do this when it feels right for me.”

“Okay, okay…I’m off to take a cold shower. But I swear to God, the day you finally give in, I will lock you up in a room for forty-eight hours straight.”

“You are such a perv!”

“But you love me.”

“I do,” she said gently, her heart swelling with emotion for this man who was infinitely patient with her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

In Pittsburgh, two other people were unable to sleep. Jet lag wasn’t a problem in this case, just worrying.

“Brian, are you awake?”

“Yup,” he replied, turning over on his side and looking at blue eyes that were troubled tonight.

“Who do you think it is?”

“It could be any one, Justin…anyone or no one.”

“I can’t believe this is a random incident. People don’t give up babies just like that. There’s a reason Gus was chosen.”

“I’m sure you’re right, but the answer will not be revealed tonight. I suggest you go to sleep or we’ll look like shit in the morning.”

“Maybe he fathered a child without realizing it?”

“For real or through a donation?”

“I don’t know…I’m just trying to make sense of this whole thing.”

“Are you doubting his word?” Brian asked incredulously. Justin had always given Gus the benefit of the doubt. This was the first time he ever questioned Gus’ honesty. “He said he hasn’t touched a woman since Ashley. If this kid is his, he would have had to have slept with someone around December or January. Who the fuck would it have been?”

“I don’t know! I feel so disloyal for even questioning his integrity. I know that he would never lie.”

“Then why do you keep going back to the same premise?”

“Because I hate not knowing!”

“You and everyone else!”

“Plus, I feel so bad for Tay. Who would abandon such a beautiful child? He gets more adorable with each passing day.”

“Sunshine, right now Tay is in a loving home, with two men who are crazy about him. Three, if you count Dane. He is not wanting for anything, physically or emotionally.”

“I know. I just hope that whoever did this respects that and leaves him where he’s at.”

“I’m sure that the person who left Tay with specific instructions is not one to do anything on the spur of the moment. This was an obviously well thought out plan and one that will most likely never be changed.”

“I hope not. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“Can we stop talking about this now? Let’s try our old-fashioned way of trying to get some shut-eye.”

“You mean mutual masturbation?”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Or I could just give you a special Taylor blowjob?”

“You could, but let’s go with option number one. I want to watch you get yourself off. Turn on a DVD.”

Justin laughed and got up off the bed to go to the huge collection of porn they kept in the cabinet on the opposite side of the room.”

“What are you in the mood for?” Justin asked, standing naked in the dim light. He was as beautiful as ever, despite being forty-seven, and Brian’s breath caught as he watched him from his place in bed.

“Pick something you want, you’re the one that going to get off on this. I’m watching you, remember.”

“Right,” Justin said, turning back to peruse the shelf, finally finding something that appealed.

He popped in the DVD and went to the bathroom for a few minutes before joining Brian in bed.

“Do you need to go before we start this?”

“Sure, give me a second.”

Justin waited, taking sips of water from the glass he had beside the bed. He started the DVD as soon as Brian came back from the bathroom and got into bed with him.

It was a new movie, one they hadn’t seen before. It opened with a shot of two men entering a club. It was the usual scene, same hot boys gyrating on the dance floor, techno-metallic music thumping through the speakers. The difference was that this was a BDSM club, with rooms leading off from the dance floor, each one designed specifically for whatever kink floated your boat.

The men entered what looked to be a torture chamber with racks of whips and restraints hanging on one wall. The center of the room was dominated by a huge St. Andrew’s cross. Beside it was a table, also made of wood, with iron rings that could withstand any amount of pulling and tugging.

Two twinks dressed in what appeared to be leather chaps from the front approached the gentlemen. When they turned to reach for hangers to keep the guest’s clothes neat you could see their back sides completely bared but for a few choice strips of leather holding up their pants. Far off on the other side of the room a giant of a man dressed in a black leather g-sting stood watching in silence as the men were undressed. He had a fierce look on his face made more dramatic by his bald head and a tattoo that crawled all the way up his body in the shape of a serpent, starting at his feet and ending at his neck, the fangs of the snake dripping venom in deep red drops.

Justin’s breath hitched in his throat when he saw the first guest stripped of all his clothes and moved off to the table. They made him lie down and his arms and legs were spread eagle, cuffed to the iron rings with leather restrains. He was African American, beautifully sculpted, his nine-inch cock already half aroused, with a circumference that rivaled anything Justin had ever seen. He could feel his own member swelling and lengthening in direct proportion to the vision in front of him. The other guest was Caucasian, dark haired, with a body very similar to Brian’s, the cherished wash-board stomach easily discernible, a line of dark hair perfectly coiffed heading straight to another impressive cock, pointing rigidly away from his body. He was led up to the cross and his arms and legs tethered to the metal rings designed for this purpose.

Brian watched Justin as he started to play with himself, pulling on his cock slowly, the drops of moisture coating the plump head which was pink and shiny from where he sat. He could feel the blood rushing to his own dick as he watched his lover stroking himself, blue eyes glued to the action on the television, his breathing changing to little huffs as his arousal increased. Brian moved his hand, stroking himself slowly, even as Justin moved his left hand up to his mouth to suck on his fingers, wetting them, then moving down as he leaned back on the pillows and drew up his legs, parting them so that he could insert two fingers into his ass while his right hand was busy ministering to his cock.

Justin started to groan, in unison with the moans that were coming from the men on the DVD as the Dom proceeded to flog them, moving from one to the other, hitting them in a slow and steady rhythm with a silver and black whip.

Brian’s senses were on overload with the multiple stimuli coming from the men on TV and watching Justin in the throes of his own arousal, his legs splayed, displaying himself wantonly as he pulled on his cock while his other hand was busy moving fingers in and out of his ass. Brian’s own hand fisted his prick which was rigid and aching to be sucked off, the drops of his arousal now coating the engorged head.

He moved towards Justin, pushing his hands aside and he buried his face in his partner’s crotch, opening his mouth and taking in as much of Justin as he could, relishing the smell and taste of him. He encircled his balls with his fingers, squeezing them gently, hearing the moaning coming out of Justin’s throat which only meant that he was doing everything right.

Justin’s dick was slick with his spit, sliding in and out of Brian’s mouth in a steady rhythm, his hips thrusting, helping him, fucking his mouth with abandon, filling him one minute, leaving him almost empty the next, a push and pull that was driving him mad with desire. He pulled out and sucked softly on the bulbous head, flicking his tongue into the slit, lapping up the juice. “I love your cock,” he whispered, swallowing him to the hilt and then pulling out again, nipping at him with his teeth, feeling Justin spasm underneath him, his legs trembling in passion.

“Turn over,” he heard Justin whisper, even as he felt Justin’s hands moving him, positioning him so that his body was now hovering directly over him, his cock hanging enticingly over Justin’s head, and he felt himself being swallowed greedily, the sucking motion a welcome relief. He paused in his movements as he felt his partner tracing the length of his cock with his hot tongue, now sucking on the tender skin underneath his shaft, engulfing his balls in his voracious mouth, sucking and rolling them around with his tongue, and he moved back to Brian’s cock, now dripping with a combination of spit and precum, before he swallowed him again, deep into his throat, all the while thrusting his own hips back and forth, fucking Brian’s mouth, moaning non-stop, the vibrations in his throat wreaking havoc on Brian’s self-control. Brian felt his balls tighten up, the usual precursor to an orgasm and he almost lost control when Justin let go of his cock and moved his hot tongue to lave his asshole in long, swiping motions, burying his nose in Brian’s crack, changing his tactic to little circular movements that always made Brian whimper like a virgin.

“Fuck…me,” he begged, needing to feel Justin’s entire length filling him.

Justin pulled away and turned himself so that he now had Brian underneath him, his ass pointing up and he pulled his hips higher with both hands while he positioned the head of his cock at Brian’s pink asshole that was clenching and unclenching in anticipation of the invasion and he pushed forward even as Brian pushed back, meeting him halfway, and he felt himself sliding past the muscular rings into an excruciatingly tight canal that gripped him in a pleasure so intense that they both cried out at the same time.

And their bodies took over as their minds left them, moving of their own accord, in the timeless dance they had perfected over the years, each sound a harbinger of the ecstasy to follow, and Brian felt Justin shooting hot spurts of fluid in staccato beats, even as his own hand never let up, pumping himself in time to the flow in his ass, his own streams of white hitting the sheets and his hand in a hot, glorious mess.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Aedan heard the crying as he let himself into the house. It was around seven in the evening, according to the crystal clock sitting on the round table in their foyer. It had been a long day, made especially longer by the knowledge that Gus was home alone with the baby. They had finally given in to Dane’s request for a personal day and had poured over their work schedules to see which one of them would get to stay home with the baby. Gus had drawn the short straw and even though he was reluctant, and a little worried, he assured Aedan that all would be fine.

Aedan hung his coat up and put his briefcase on the chair near the door and climbed the stairs two at a time, the crying getting louder and louder with each step he took up to the third floor where the bedrooms were located.

He pushed the nursery door open and was greeted by the sight of his partner sitting on the rocking chair with tears streaming down his face and a screaming infant in his arms.

“Angel,” he said gently, “What’s wrong?”

“Thank God you’re home,” Gus answered, closing his eyes and leaning back against the chair.

Aedan moved to squat beside the chair. He wiped Gus’ face with the cloth diaper that was draped on his shoulder and then he attempted to wipe Tay’s face, but the baby was having none of it, his screams changing in pitch, his little legs pumping furiously.

“Hey, little guy…what’s the problem?” Aedan asked, taking Tay from Gus and moving around the room with him, rocking him gently to see if that would help.

“How long has he been this way?”

“At least two hours…I was about ready to call the paramedics.”

“Gus, it’s probably colic, like Dane said. I assume you’ve tried everything, right?”

“Fed him, changed him, and bathed him. Fuck…I even read him a God damn story, and put on the Lion King DVD. It didn’t even make a dent.”

Aedan cracked a smile, completely bemused. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“What was I going to say? I just suck at being a Daddy? How fucking pathetic am I if I can’t even figure out how to calm my six-week old baby.”

“Gus, come on…don’t be so hard on yourself. Six weeks ago you didn’t even know how to carry a baby, let alone change a diaper. You’ve come a long way since then.”

“Well obviously not far enough! How do we stop this howling which is getting on my last nerve?”

“I don’t understand why he still has colic. We’ve switched him to Soy and the doctor assured me that it would help.”

“And that’s another thing!” Gus threw out.

“What?”

“That soy shit is disgusting! It smells like day old jizz.”

“Jesus, Gus!”

“It’s true! The stuff is vile…does he have to drink that? When he burps he smells like he just gave head!”

Adean couldn’t help laughing out loud, realizing that Gus did have a point. Soy milk had a certain odor, especially when it was a few hours old. “Gus, I think all this crying has started to affect your brain.”

“Maybe so…I’m starting to lose it. I’m suffering from stay-at-home-syndrome.”

“You are hungry and tired and need a break.”

“What I need is a fucking drink and a blowjob!”

“First things first…let’s get Tay settled.”

“Okay, oh-brilliant-one. How are we going to do that?”

“Well, you’ve tried everything conventional, let’s try throwing him in the car and going for a ride. Movement is supposed to lull them into sleep.”

“And if that doesn’t work, we can drive off a bridge together. That will stop the crying for sure!”

Aedan shook his head all the while smiling at Gus. His partner looked completely frazzled, but sort of hot, in his black athletic shorts and a tight t-shirt, his face covered by a dark shadow, evidence of his failure to shave, let alone take a shower. His hair looked like it was brushed by fingers and without any product holding it in place; it fell softly on his forehead, making him appear to be younger than his 31 years.

“Come on, Angel,” Aedan said, grabbing Gus with one hand, balancing Tay in his arms, while he pushed Gus out the door. Let’s go.”

They made their way down the stairs and entered the garage through the door in the kitchen. They had lucked out when they found this house because having a garage in New York City was about as rare as you could get. It was the deciding factor in their purchase and even though they hardly ever used their vehicle, preferring public transportation for its swiftness and convenience, it was nice to know that they had the option of getting into their own car if they chose to.

Tonight the evening traffic was heavy, as to be expected, so Aedan’s plan of hitting the expressway to lull his son into sleep was momentarily delayed by a traffic jam, barring their way across town. Finally, Gus pulled off to a side street and negotiated a path through the mess, trying to find a few streets that weren’t too congested. They ended up making a big circle around their neighborhood, slowly but surely making some progress, all the while listening to Tay’s cries get softer and softer until finally, the screaming stopped, and the baby pressed his tear soaked eyelids together and fell asleep.

“Thank you God for this moment’s intermission,” Gus said, rolling his eyes and putting a hand up to his neck and kneading it. “Don’t even turn on the radio, Aed. Whoever penned the saying, ‘Silence is golden’ must have had a colicky child.”

Aedan reached for Gus’ hand and brought it up to his mouth and kissed it gently. “You are such a good man…Tay is lucky to have you for a father.”

“You think?” Gus asked, tuning his head and looking at Aedan. “Some days I feel completely incompetent and overwhelmed. Whoever did this must have had rocks in their head, thinking I’d make a good father.”

“Whoever did this knows how much love you have to give.”

“That’s beside the point, Aedan. Of course I love him! I’m talking about everyday stuff, like the crying tonight. How come you knew what to do and I didn’t?”

“I’ve been reading up on infant care, believe me, I feel just as incompetent as you do.”

“Poor kid…he’ll be lucky if he survives his childhood with us for parents.”

“He is going to be just fine…and so will you,” Aedan said. “You must be hungry?”

“I’m starving…call Gino’s and order a pizza. We can pick it up on our way home.”

“Okay. Pepperoni?”

“Yeah, lots of it, and extra cheese.”

By the time they picked up the pizza and negotiated their way back to the house, the traffic had lightened up a little bit, but the point was moot as Tay had not made one more sound since he’d fallen asleep. Gus pressed the garage door opener and inched the car into the tight spot and listened to the doors rolling shut behind them.

He killed the engine and Aedan got out of the car and opened the back seat of the SUV to take the baby out of his car seat. As soon as he touched the buckles Tay started to move and mewling sounds escaped his mouth, causing Gus to pull Aedan’s hand back in horror and whisper, “Leave him…don’t touch the straps.”

“We can’t leave him in here all night.”

“Says who?” Gus asked.

“Can we?”

“Hell yes, well, at least until we’ve had our dinner and I get the dessert you promised me about two hours ago,” Gus answered, looking at his partner with a definite leer in his eyes.

“Oh, I see where this is all heading.”

“Come on, he’ll be quite safe in here. Leave the doors open so we can hear him if he wakes up,” Gus said, pulling Aedan along as he clutched the box of pizza with one hand. He threw the box on the kitchen table and turned to wrap his arms around Aedan, kissing him deeply. “I’m so horny.”

“I can tell,” Aedan said, smiling at his partner who was pressed tightly against him, the evidence of his arousal clearing manifesting itself. “I thought you were hungry,” Aedan whispered, all the while moving his hands across Gus’ groin, listening to him groan as he squeezed Gus gently through his shorts. He slipped his hand down the elastic, caressing Gus’ aching cock, loving the sounds coming out of his mouth.

“I think you deserve a reward for surviving such domestic trauma today.”

“I think so too,” Gus said, as he watched Aedan sink to his knees, all the while tugging on his shorts and dragging them down so they pooled around his ankles. He watched the man with the golden hair take him in his mouth, wrapping his lips around his rigid shaft, relishing the act. Aedan loved Gus’ cock, the length and the girth of it. He could worship at this alter for hours, reveling in Gus’ taste and smell and listening to the soft sounds coming from his partner’s throat as he sucked on him with an appetite that was yet to be assuaged after four years. He inhaled his unique smell, part musk, part soap, rubbing his bearded face against the dark patch of curly hair that was surprisingly soft and smooth to the touch. He moaned with delight as he felt Gus’ hot gaze staring down at him, watching him as he continued to pull him in and out of his mouth, sucking him in as deeply as possible without gagging, twirling his tongue around the cock head now slippery with a combination of saliva and precome. He ran his hands up Gus’ strong legs to cup his beautifully rounded ass cheeks, squeezing them tightly, moving his hand expertly till he found what he was looking for and he inserted one finger and then two, scissoring them as he continued to work Gus with his mouth, assaulting him on both fronts, loving the trembling, the soft sighs, the fisting of his hair.

His own cock strained painfully against its tight confines and he quickly moved his hands to pull down his zipper and release his painful erection, fisting himself tightly as he felt Gus’ balls tighten up and they came in unison, the vibrations coming out of his throat heightening the pleasure and he closed his eyes as he heard Gus cry out, and he felt his mouth flooded with fluid, and he swallowed every drop greedily, as if it were the finest malt whiskey, a taste he could never get enough of.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Merry Christmas my darling…_

He had surprised her with the small box, wrapped in the famous blue paper made specifically for Tiffany. They were sitting at their favorite corner, sharing the afternoon coffee that had become such a huge part of her life. She was flattered that he had bought her a present, but not really surprised. He was such a romantic and continued to lavish her with attention, even though they’d now been meeting like this for almost four months.

_Go ahead, open it…_

She tore the paper and opened the box, delighted when she saw the delicate chain and the tiny charm in the finest sterling silver. The plump heart had her name engraved on one side and the usual Tiffany stamp on the other.

“I love it,” she said softly, looking at him in wonder. Her reward was a kiss, one that lingered, the exploring tongue seeking out her own, the teeth nipping at her lips gently, sucking them. She responded willingly these days, no longer shy and tentative, her aggression and passion matching his head-on.

_I want you to wear it all the time…_

“How could I not?”

_Are you doing anything special tonight?_

“Not without you.”

_All in due time, my love…_

“When?”

_Not yet…they might not understand…_

Because you’re so much older?

_That, and because of who I am…_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The dance studio was enormous, with thirty foot ceilings that did nothing to trap the heat in the drafty room. Despite that, all the dancers here today were sweating. They had been practicing for three hours straight and had reached their physical limits.

Sorina stood gulping down water, her pink lips wrapped around the opening of the bottle as she drank thirstily. Her hair was pulled back into a severe knot, but wispy tendrils escaped to frame her delicate face, now flushed and dotted with drops of perspiration. Most of the girls around her were new to the company, all of them having come from different parts of the globe.

Today’s class was the first time all the participants in the company were gathered in one place. This was the first time the managers and instructors could assess all the dancers and decide who would be stepping into the primary roles for their upcoming season which started in October. Sorina knew that she and Ryan had made an impression on the powers-to-be. They had them executing impossibly difficult moves for the last half-hour and she was vibrating in place from the tension. She knew that the choices made today would impact her life for the next six months and she hoped that they would see how perfect she and her partner were together.

Her eyes locked in on Ryan’s who was standing on the other side of the room with the other male dancers. He was in black today, from head to toe and it offset his pale skin and dark hair. The dove gray eyes stared at her with the same worried look, holding his breath as the decisions were read out.

Standing in a packed train heading back uptown, Sorina hung on to Ryan, relishing the feel of his arms around her while he protected her from the jostling crowd. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, “Are you okay with the decision?”

She looked up at the ash colored eyes and said, “I suppose so. Being an alternate lead is still better than being in the corps.”

“If anything were to happen to Irina and Sergei, we’d have to step in.”

“And then the audience will leave the theater in droves.”

Ryan laughed at her cynicism, hugging her even harder. “They’ll be blown away when they see us.”

“I hope so. Come home with me and have dinner at the house. I think Mama is making a huge pot of stew.”

“That sounds a lot better than Stouffers.”

She giggled and clung to him, leaning her head against his chest and closing her eyes. The rocking of the train lulled her into a dreamy state and if Ryan hadn’t been holding her so tightly she would have fallen to the ground, fast asleep. As it was, she had perfected the art of dozing while standing, a talent most useful to people who took the subway on a daily basis.

Finally, they reached their stop at 86th Street and they headed up the stairs, barely able to drag one foot in front of the other. Both of them exhausted from the grueling work-out earlier plus the added tension of waiting to hear what they would be doing next.

“Mama,” Sorina called out as she slipped her key into the lock. Their apartment on the ninth floor of the twenty foot high rise was a modest three-bedroom, with large, sunny rooms that Daphne had filled with brightly colored upholstery and a riot of indoor plants. It had huge picture windows that let in sunlight, only increasing the greenhouse effect, making the place a welcome haven for tired and hungry students. Sasha and Ria were already in the kitchen, chowing down on stew and French bread while Daphne sat and picked at a salad, always concerned about weight.

“I brought Ryan home-is there plenty of food?” Sorina asked, bending down to kiss Daphne’s cheek.

“There’s a whole pot full, sweetie. Hi, Ryan.”

“Dr. Cherney.”

“How did it go?”

Sorina grabbed a bowl for herself and passed one to Ryan and they stood over the pot ladling healthy portions of stew into their dishes and then they moved over to the table, all the while recounting the mornings events.

“We got picked as sloppy seconds.”

“Really?” Daphne said, surprised at the decision. “How’d you manage that?”

“No idea,” Sorina replied through a mouthful of food.

“What does that mean?” Sasha asked.

“It means that we have to learn everything the lead dancers learn, practicing alongside of them, and if God forbid, or rather, if God is good,” Sorina added with a smirk, “And one of them breaks a leg, we get to dance the leads.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Sasha said. “Let’s all pray that one of them gets sick.”

“Let’s not,” Daphne replied. “Wishing evil is a negative emotion and usually ends up biting you in the you-know-what.”

“Oh, Mom…I was just joking,” Sasha said.

“What about you Sasha?” Sorina asked her twin. “How was your first day?”

“Orientation and bullshit.”

“See any hot guys?”

Ria’s eyes lit up and she chimed in, “Muchos.”

“Huh?”

“She said lots,” Sasha replied. “I don’t recall seeing anyone that made my heart stop.”

“You never do, Sasha,” Sorina said with an eyeroll. “You’re the pickiest person. No one is good enough.”

“She’ll find someone in due course,” Daphne said. “I didn’t fall in love with your Papa until I was out of medical school and became an intern. Maybe Sasha will have the same kind of path.”

Sasha shrugged and tore into her piece of bread.

“Your brother called,” Daphne said. “He wanted to know if you guys would stop by tomorrow and visit.”

“Why?” Sasha asked.

“You haven’t been to see him since you got back from Europe. Neither one of you have seen the baby.”

“I’m free tomorrow,” Sorina said. “How about you Sash?”

“I guess.”

“Let’s all go out there. I’m so curious to see how they are handling being instant fathers.”

“I can only imagine the queening going on at that house,” Sorina said with a smile. “Ryan, you have to meet my half-brother. He and his partner have this awesome home in the West Village.”

He’s gay?”

“Bi.”

“Oh, that’s convenient,” Ryan said.

“And your comment is bullshit!” Sasha threw out.

“I didn’t mean anything derogatory,” Ryan said, taken aback by her vehement retort.

“What did you mean?” Sasha asked, putting him on the spot.

“Just drop it,” Sorina said, glaring at her sister.

“Nothing…it’s just nice to have so many choices, I guess,” Ryan stammered, his ash colored eyes locking in on the hazel ones that bore right through him. He didn’t know Sasha well enough to know if she was seriously upset or just really intense.

“Falling in love with someone isn’t a choice,” Sasha said. “It just happens.”

“Let’s talk about something else,” Daphne interjected, wondering where this was all coming from. “How was your day, Ria?”

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

“I want to go home with you.”

_I don’t think so._

“Why?”

_Every time I’m alone with you I go a little crazy._

“I want you to go crazy.”

_Are you sure?_

“I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life.”

His house wasn’t very far. It was in the same suburb the junior college was located at. As soon as the doors closed he took her in his arms, burying his face in her hair, moaning her name as they clung to each other.

“I love you so much,” she whispered.

_You are so beautiful…_

He started to pull off his shirt, never taking his eyes off her as she slowly unbuttoned her blouse and her jeans, stepping out of them easily. She stood in front of him in her red, Victoria Secret underwear, bought specifically for this occasion and she waited for him to make the next move.

He pulled her tightly against his bare chest, feasting on her mouth, all the while running hands up and down her back, moving them up to unsnap her bra, releasing the tender mounds of flesh that were covered in goose bumps. He slid his large hands over her breasts, cupping them gently, moving his thumbs in slow circles over the dusky nipples that puckered in response. He heard her moaning, saw her close her eyes and his brain swiftly left his body as his erection pushed him forward, despite the nagging voice in his head telling him to stop.

He carried her to the bedroom and they continued to undress until finally, they stood naked facing each other. She looked him up and down, her eyes widening when they rested on his cock, now pointing rigidly towards his stomach. She moved forward, as if in a trance, and touched him, tentatively at first, and then more sure of herself as she watched his reaction while she wrapped her delicate fingers around his swollen member.

“Does this feel good?”

_God, yes…_

His blue eyes were riveted to hers.

“Tell me what to do.”

_You’re doing just fine…_

He moved her slowly towards the bed, and he pushed her down gently, his arms around her torso as she pressed her face to his chest, moving her moist lips to suck on his nipples. His hands roamed slowly, over every inch of her body, stopping when he reached the mound covered with silky brown hair. He heard her quick intake of breath and he knew she was holding it in, waiting for his next move. His fingers gently parted lips that were now moist with want, seeking the small nub that would send her over the edge, gratified when she let out a soft breath and a whimper as he caressed her, humbled when she opened her legs wider, giving him access to virgin territory. He was a little crazed with the effort of trying to remain in control, but emboldened by her passion.

He rolled on top of her, resting most of his weight on his elbows, afraid to crush her delicate frame. He poised himself for a second, his blue eyes mesmerized by hazel ones that looked up at him trustingly. He rubbed his cock head against her, feeling the slide, making sure she was ready for him before he started to push, every inch an erotically charged journey as he was gripped by the velvet walls of her vagina.

_Am I hurting you?_

“No,” she pushed her hips forward, opening her legs wider, please…don’t stop.”

And he moved his hips, pushing his cock in and out of her as she met him head-on, her passion increasing as the pleasure intensified. All too quickly he could feel himself ready to explode, realizing belatedly that he had not sheathed himself.

_Oh God, hold on, I’m not wearing a condom…_

He started to pull out but she grabbed him and pulled him tightly against her, moaning ‘No’, begging him to continue, moving her hips against his, her orgasm rushing towards the blinding white heat, his fluids filling her in a warm rush and she trembled beneath him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The limo pulled up in front of Austin and Jenny’s house, disgorging its passengers. Brian and Justin, along with Aedan, Gus, Tay and Dane, stepped out of the vehicle and proceeded into the house, to the sounds of a party in full swing.

It was a christening party for Benjamin Victor Lehigh, affectionately called Benjie, as Brian had so named him weeks ago. It was also the first time that the Pittsburgh branch of friends and family would lay their eyes on Taylor. All the women were gathered in the front room, cooing over the bassinette where Benjie was looking up at them with warm brown eyes, courtesy of his mother. He had a light layer of hair that was threatening to come in red, just like Austin’s, and there were the telltale signs of a freckle or two, a further reminder of his heritage.

“Gus!” Lindsay exclaimed, thrilled to see her son and his family. “Oh, you brought the baby. Can I hold him?”

“Of course.”

Lindsay took Taylor from Dane’s arms and walked around the room, showing him off to everyone. The little boy, now almost four months old, was as good as gold, smiling sweetly, his large blue eyes taking in all the activity around him.

Debbie put her glasses on and moved over to peer at the mystery child. “Shit, he looks like Brian when he was little.”

“The fuck he does.” Brian spat out.

“I beg to disagree, but I happen to have baby pictures of you, and this kid is your spitting image.”

“That’s impossible,” Brian said, giving Deb the raised eyebrow.

“I’ll have to dig them out and prove it to you,” she said, looking up at Brian.

“Yeah, you do that Deb. Where’s Mikey?”

“He’s in the kitchen with Austin.”

Brian made his way through the house, all the while thinking about Debbie’s statement. She must be getting Alzheimer’s, he thought, after all, she was closer to eighty-five than eighty. There’s no way that Tay looked anything like him as a child. For one thing, his eyes were Cornflower blue, not one speck of brown or green in them. Secondly, his bone structure was completely different from his. It was more like Justin’s, if you really thought about it. And his skin had that iridescent quality of Justin’s as well. Now his mouth did look a little bit like his, but not enough to say he was his spitting image. He really could be anyone’s. Tay’s lips were fuller than Justin’s, and nothing at all like Gus’.

It would have really solved all the guessing games if Gus and Aedan had agreed to the paternity test, but they had refused. Gus said that it didn’t matter; they loved Tay, regardless of who his parents were, so having a paternity test was a moot point.

Brian still was of the opinion that they should have the test and find out definitely who fathered this child. He had no problem having him in the family and carrying the Kinney name, he just wanted to get the mystery out of the way so they could get on with their lives and not have to worry about any woman showing up to try and take the kid back. Gus and Aedan would go crazy if that were to happen.

He’d never seen such doting parents, it was hilarious watching them queen over Tay, bringing to mind Dane’s stories about the men’s reactions to the first diaper changing experience. He and Justin had tears running down their cheeks as Dane recounted the first time Gus had to change a poopy diaper. He did it stoically, according to Dane, and then proceeded to throw up his entire dinner. Aedan wasn’t much better as he started to gag as soon as he saw Gus’ mess.

This was early on in their parenting career. Now, four months later, they were professionals, not even flinching when the diaper came off. Even Tay’s peeing in their face only elicited laughter, rather than hysteria. They’d certainly come a long way. Brian didn’t think that he would have been anywhere near as competent if the shoe were on the other foot.

Mel and Jenny’s investigation into Tay’s mysterious birth had produced nothing. There was no birth certificate, since the child was obviously born in a place other than a hospital. By the time the private investigator has started to ask questions, the case had gone cold. No one had seen or heard anything the night the baby was dropped off at the fire station.

Even the court date was uneventful. Everyone had held their breath, waiting for some mysterious person or persons to come along and declare that they were Tay’s true parents but the day came and went without incident.

So now it was official. Gus and Aedan’s name were on the birth certificate and the mother’s name was left blank. The child was legally a Hughes-Kinney and only an act of Congress would be able to take the boy away from them.

“Greetings, fellow grandpa and Daddy,” Brian said, walking into the kitchen and spying Michael and Austin. “What’s for dinner?”

“Lot’s of carbs,” Michael replied with a grin. He’d aged tremendously in the last year, due to Ben’s death; the weight had fallen off him quickly, turning his normally stocky physique into a shell of his former self. His hair line had receded and although he wasn’t anywhere near as bald as some men his age, he was heading in that direction. Tonight, however, there was that twinkle in his eye again, the one that seemed to have disappeared with Ben’s absence. Brian supposed that they had Austin and Jenny’s son to thank for Michael’s reemergence into the world of the living.

“Have you seen my grandson?” he asked Brian.

“He looks just like JR and of course that red hair is unmistakably yours, Austin. I wonder if he’s going to be hell-on-wheels the way you were?”

“Who me?” Austin asked innocently. “I was an angel as a young boy.”

“Yeah, right,” Brian said, looking at his son’s best friend with a smirk. Any trouble Gus had ever gotten into had been courtesy of Austin.

“Benjie’s beautiful, Mikey. He has your smile.”

“You think so?” Michael asked, pleased that Brian had noticed.

“He does. Ben would be thrilled that you gave him his name.”

Tears gathered quickly in Michael’s brown eyes, threatening to spill over, but Brian grabbed him and kissed him on the cheek saying, “No more crying, Mikey. Today is Benjie’s special day, a happy occasion.”

“I know,” Michael said, pulling back from Brian and back handing a tear that rolled down his cheek. “I just miss him so much.”

“We all do.”

The men picked up all the platters of food and made their way back into the dinning area. The little house was packed with people. Jennifer Taylor and Tuck, Hunter’s wife, Peggy, and their two adopted girls, who were now two and three respectively, Ted and Blake, Emmett and Max, and of course Carl Horvath who was sitting in a wheel chair by the window that looked out on to the street.

“You okay sweet meat?” Debbie asked, bending down and kissing Carl on the cheek. He looked up at her and smiled, knowing she was a friend, but not really recognizing her tonight. Carl had slipped in and out of senility about two years ago and even though the doctors had told Deb he had Alzheimer’s and should be put in a long-term care facility, she was having none of it. His disease was still in its early stage so there were still many moments of lucidity and Debbie was not going to deprive them of what little time they had together before he was lost to her forever. Besides, she’d been a care-giver most of her life and this was not a hardship in any way, especially for the love of her life.

“It’s too bad the girls couldn’t be here,” Jennifer mentioned to Justin.

“I know, we asked them to come but they’re both wrapped up in their commitments. Sorina has been practicing almost every day for hours, getting ready for the performance of Swan Lake that opens the season.”

“That’s what she said in her email to me. Do they still have her as the stand-in for the role of Odette?”

“Apparently. We’re all hoping the Russian will slip and break a leg,” Justin said with a grin.

“How’s Sasha doing? Molly’s asked about her.”

“She’s fine…loves it at Pratt. She’s looking really good.”

“That's nice, I haven’t seen them since they left for Europe. She was rather dumpy when she left, wearing those horrible baggy clothes and always so gloomy. Has her look changed any?”

“Yes and no. Baggy clothes are gone, only to be replaced by skin tight shirts and a nose stud.”

“Oh my God! Can’t Daphne put a stop to it?”

“Mother, she’s eighteen.”

“But still living at home! You would think that she’d listen to her mother.”

“Hello? Does she not have my genes running through her veins?”

Jennifer rolled her eyes and said, “What was I thinking?”

“You weren’t.”

“Taylor is adorable.”

“Isn’t he? Gus and Aedan are crazy about him and so are we. That little guy has us all wrapped around his pudgy little fingers.”

“No word on who may have fathered him?”

“No, and honestly Mother, no one cares anymore. We’re just happy that he’s in our lives.”

“Well, I think he’s a very lucky boy,” Jennifer said, “And I plan on stealing him away from Lindsay. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay,” Justin mumbled, moving over to the table and grabbing a plate. He piled it high with food and looked for somewhere to sit. He spied Brian and Michael in front of the TV set in the living room so he went over there and squeezed in between them.

“Oh good…food!” Brian said, reaching to grab a piece of bread.

“Hey, go get your own,” Justin admonished, slapping Brian’s hand away from his plate.

“Aww, come on. I don’t want to miss this.”

“What are you watching that’s so important?”

“They’re showing Prada’s new Spring collection. Some of those models are fucking hot!”

Justin gave him the look.

“Please?”

“Here, you take my plate. I’ll go get another one.”

Brian leaned over and kissed him, whispering, “That earned you some very interesting brownie points, which you can collect when we get home.”

“Promises, promises.”

Brian laughed and slapped him on the ass as he stood up to go back to the dinning room.

Brian grabbed Michael’s hand and squeezed it tight. “You okay?”

“Fine.”

“Check out the models, some of them are hot!”

“Not interested.”

“It’s been a year. Ben would want you to move on, Mikey.”

“I’m too old. Who the fuck would even want me?”

Brian looked at Michael and said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Michael huffed out a laugh. “That’s ridiculous Brian. I’m sixty-one, with a body that looks like it’s had one plate of pasta too many, and a receding hairline. There isn’t a big market for my look.”

“You’ll never know until you try. Want me to set you up?”

“God, no…I haven’t been on a date for a thousand years. I wouldn’t know what to do or say.”

“You pull down his zipper and pull out his cock. It’s like riding a bike, Mikey. You don’t forget these things.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“And you need to get back into the world of the living! You have a grandchild now. Who’s going to teach him about Rage and Captain Astro if you just curl up into a ball and die?”

Michael looked at him for the longest time and then said, “We’ll see.”

Brian rewarded him with a huge kiss.

Later on that evening, as they were getting ready for bed, Brian asked Justin if he thought Deb was starting to lose it.

“Why?”

“She made a comment tonight about Tay. She said he looked exactly like some of my baby pictures. I think Carl’s infected her.”

“Alzheimer’s isn’t contagious, Brian.”

“Well, something is. First of all, I don’t remember ever giving her any baby pictures and secondly, Tay looks nothing like me.”

“I’ll make up some excuse to visit her later in the week and have a look at said pictures myself.”

“Do that, will you? I’m a little curious to see them as well.”

“Okay…now, about those brownie points?”

Brian laughed and pulled Justin up to his chest. “What’ll it be, Sunshine? Straight sex or kink?”

“Oh, kink by all means. The handcuffs are in the drawer beside you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The theater was quite empty except for the few couples scattered here and there. It was a matinee showing after all, on a weekday. No one in their right mind would take the time off of work to see yet another classic like Brokeback Mountain.

Heath Ledger’s face loomed large on the screen, his eyes tortured, his craggy face struggling with the anguish of his loss as he gazed on the faded jacket of his murdered lover.

Sorina’s tears threatened to overflow her brimming eyes, while Ryan nuzzled her neck.

“Stop it Ryan,” she whispered, moving away from his demanding lips. “This is so sad.”

“We’ve seen this three times already,” he moaned, his hands running riot over her body.

Sorina turned to him only to have her mouth captured in a sensuous and drawn out kiss, making her forget what was on the screen. “I want to make love to you,” Ryan growled, the frustration in his voice apparent, even as he moved closer, pulling her small frame out of the chair and on to his lap. She straddled him easily and they continued to kiss in the dark, just another couple in the shadows of a dark theater which had seen its fair share of lovers.

They groaned as their mouths continued to explore each other, Ryan’s arousal pressing urgently between them. He slipped both hands under Sorina’s sweater, unsnapping her bra and freeing breasts that he cupped gently, his touch becoming more demanding as the passion swept them along, the soft carresses turning rougher as he felt her nipples harden with want. Sorina began to move her hips, unconsciously rutting against his penis which was now fully erect, straining against its tight confines.

“Touch me,” he begged, moving a hand away from her breast, reaching for hers and placing it on his lap, helping her as they pulled down his zipper, giving her access to his cock which was peeking through the opening, almost begging to be sucked off. “That’s it,” he moaned, as her hand wrapped itself around the engorged organ, his large hands covering hers as he helped her along, moving them up and down an already straining erection, minutes away from exploding.

“You’re so big,” she whispered, thrilled but scared at the same time. This was the first time she’d actually touched him without any barriers and the feel of the thick cock in her hand was making her dizzy with want, breaking down her resolve. She felt his hands slip under her skirt, tugging at the tiny thong which did nothing to cover her and he slipped a finger under the silk and touched her, feeling her wet and ready for the taking. She moaned without restraint as she felt him moving his finger on her slippery surface, even as her hand moved up and down his cock, knowing instinctually what to do as they played each other, moving them steadily towards the inevitable chain of events that ended with him spewing warm cum all over her hand and her shuddering against him as their mutual orgasms offered release in delicious waves.

“I love you,” she whispered, draping her boneless body on him, her ear pressed against his chest, listening to his heart beating wildly, while his breathing shifted back to a more normal rhythm.

“Love you too,” he answered, wrapping both arms around her, his nose buried in her blond curls, inhaling her special scent.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“I’m pregnant.”

_No, you’re not! I used a condom every time._

“Not the first time.”

_Fuck! Are you sure?_

“I’m positive. I took the test this morning.”

_Shit!_

“I thought you’d be happy? Don’t you want a family?

_Not like this._

“What do you mean? You said you loved me! You asked me to marry you!”

_I know I did…I want to marry you eventually; when you’re older._

“Why do we have to wait? I love you, Mark. I’ve loved you from the minute I first laid eyes on you.”

_Your parents will kill me! They’ll have me arrested._

“You’d be surprised. My parents are way cool.”

_Not this cool…believe me, when they find out who I am and how old I am, they will flip out._

“Why?”

_Just because, there’s been bad blood between the families…even though I no longer have anything to do with mine, your family won’t see that. They’ll find out who my parents are and they’ll freak!_

“Do you honestly think they’ll care who your parents are? That is all ancient history.”

_Maybe for you, but not for them._

“They don’t ever talk about your mother and I doubt they even know who you father is.”

_You have no idea how many times I’ve heard my mother cursing out your dad._

“I still think you’re exaggerating. My parents are very intelligent. They would know that you are not responsible for any of your parent’s actions or feelings.”

_You are so amazingly naïve._

“Glass empty, glass full…it’s all in how your perceive things. I choose to believe that my parents will understand.”

_You don’t know that for a fact. What if they don’t? How the hell do we move on from that point? They’ll probably have me fired, or worse!_

“Mark, I think you’re being absolutely paranoid. This is not the dark ages, besides, if you’re so concerned about their opinion, why did you pursue me?”

_Because I never though it would get this far! It started out so innocent, I was so taken by you and your work. I never thought it would progress, and by the time I found out who you were and who your parents were, it was too late! I was already in love with you._

She moved forward and took his face in her hands, “And it was mutual. When I found out you were the one who left me the rose each day I was so touched, I’ve never been treated like this.”

_I find that hard to believe._

“Believe it. I’m not the pretty one…I’m the smart one.”

_You are gorgeous! Your skin is like alabaster, your eyes are incredible, I get lost in them all the time…when you look at me, I melt. It scares me some times, how much you see._

“And when you talk to me like this, I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. No one has ever made me feel this way, well, except for one other person, but that doesn’t count.”

_Why not?_

“He’s family…it’s not the same.”

_Listen, my beauty. Eventually, in a few years, I will approach them. By then you’ll be older and our age difference won’t be that important._

“Twelve years isn’t that bad.”

_That’s not how people will see this. They’ll think I raped you and they’ll have me arrested. I would feel a lot better if we did this the right way, not rushed, because of an unwanted pregnancy. We can fix this, I just need to go and get a pill._

“No.”

_What? What do you mean, no?_

“You heard me…I won’t do it. This child was created in love and passion. It will never be unwanted.”

_You can’t be serious?_

“I am.”

_Your whole life will change! What about school and all your plans? Do you have any idea what this will do?_

“I can’t get rid of it Mark. This baby is ours.”

_Darling, we can always make another one. I promise that when everything is perfect we’ll have more, five more if you want!_

“I want this one.”

_You’re being unreasonable and childish._

She threw her arms around his neck and started to cry softly. He wrapped his arms around her slim waist and stood there, listening to her, wishing that things were different and that he had been more responsible about the relationship. He knew that if this were to get out, he would lose his job and her parents could, if they really got vicious, have him thrown in jail. No matter how much in love they were or how he explained things, the bottom line was that he’d overstepped his bounds. He pushed her away and looked down at her tear-stained face.

“Please…don’t do this to us. I love you so much,” she begged.

_And I love you too. This baby isn’t part of the plan though, and you need to realize that. Think about your decision. Call me when you’ve come to your senses. But don’t wait too long…after a certain point, the pill won’t work. We’ll need a doctor and then it gets really involved._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Justin got out of the car and made his way up the walkway to Debbie’s front door. She and Carl still lived in the same house that she’d owned for years. Despite Carl’s attempt to buy her something new, she’d never wanted to move, claiming that this house had too many memories, especially of Vic, and that leaving it would be as good as closing the doors to everything they shared and she was unwilling to do that.

So he acquiesced and continued to dump good money after bad, patching up the house as it slowly crumbled around them. Even when the big corporations came along and tried to talk her into selling, offering her huge amounts of money, she’d refused. All around them were newer, more modern homes, selling for five times what she’d paid, making her little house look even dingier and out of place.

Justin knocked and then rang the doorbell, hoping Debbie would hear.

“Sunshine,” she said as soon as she opened the door and moved off to the side to let him through. “What a pleasant surprise! I’m thrilled that you called, I even bought some donuts to have with our coffee.”

“You shouldn’t have gone to all that trouble, Deb.”

“It’s no trouble sweetie.” She bent forward and kissed him on the cheek, “Anything for you.”

They moved off into the kitchen and Justin sat at the little round table that had been a part of his life since that fateful night thirty-plus years ago. There was a box of Dunkin Donuts on the table and a couple of mugs for the coffee that was already brewed and ready to pour. Carl sat at his usual spot, in his wheelchair, looking out the window.

“Hi Carl,” Justin said, waiting to see what happened. Carl ignored him.

“How’s he doing?” Justin asked quietly, as he took his mug of coffee from Debbie and sat down.

“He has his good and bad days,” Debbie said, looking at Carl tenderly. “Today’s not so hot. He didn’t recognize me when he woke up.”

“This must be incredibly difficult for you.”

“It is and it isn’t. We have some great days and those make up for the bad. I’d rather have this than the alternative.”

“Eventually, you’ll have to make a decision about long term care, won’t you?”

“So long as I’m alive, he will not leave this house,” Deb declared fiercely.

Justin placed a hand on hers and squeezed tightly. “You’re a saint.”

“No, I’m not. I just can’t live without him. Tell me about Gus and Aedan,” Debbie asked, obviously wanting to avoid the subject of Carl. “How’s fatherhood treating them?”

“They’re great, Deb. They’ve gotten into the role quite well, each one taking turns with the baby’s care.”

“I thought they had a nanny?”

“They do, but he’s not a live-in, at least, not anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Gus didn’t like the idea of having him around twenty-four-seven. He wanted time alone with his son and his partner, without Dane hovering in the background. So he comes in at seven in the morning and leaves around five-thirty.”

Makes sense. I took care of Michael all by myself without anyone’s help. I think it’s important that they do that.”

“So does Gus and Aedan will go along with anything he says. Those two are always on the same page.”

“Isn’t that great? Who would have thought,” Deb said, picking up a crueler and taking a bite out of it.

“Deb?”

“What, honey?”

“When we were over for Benjie’s christening, you said you had some baby pictures of Brian’s. Can I see them?”

“Sure,” Debbie replied, back handing the powdered sugar that now coated her lips. “I know exactly where they are.”

She pushed herself up off the chair, moving her bulk slowly. She’d gained back all the weight she’d lost long ago and between that and her arthritis, moving quickly was physically impossible. Debbie lumbered more than she walked but at least she didn’t need a walker or a wheelchair which was a big plus.

“Fuck! One of these days I’m going to go on a diet again.”

“It might make moving around a little easier,” Justin replied.

“I’m not motivated, you know? Not since my honey got sick.”

“Well I’m sure all this weight can’t be good for your heath, Deb. You can’t afford to be bedridden, especially for Carl’s sake.”

“I know, I know. One of these days.”

She left the room and Justin sat and stared at the wall, thinking about time and aging. It didn’t seem possible that all these years had flown by and he was forty-seven years old and Debbie and Carl were in their eighties. Shit, Brian was going to be sixty-one next year, although you’d never know it the way he acted, but numbers didn’t change. Where did the time go?

“You look very sad, Mr. Taylor,” Debbie said, coming back to the kitchen holding a shoe box.

“Oh, I was just sitting here thinking about getting old.”

“Honey, if you think you’re old, I am the crypt keeper.” Debbie let out a cackle and sank into the chair in front of him. “It’s all in the head, Sunshine. You’re as young as you feel.”

“I know, that’s what Brian keeps telling me.”

“Well, he should know. I’ve never seen a sexier sixty-year old.”

“He does look amazing, doesn’t he?”

“Yes he does. I suppose it’s his good genes, although his parents didn’t live very long. It must be the good care you’ve given him.”

“Brian takes good care of himself, all on his own, Deb. The only thing I made him do was quit smoking. Everything else is all him.”

“Smoking is a huge thing, Sunshine. That added at least ten years to his life.”

“I would die if anything happened to him,” Justin said quietly.

Debbie looked at him and smiled sadly. She put her hand on his and said, “We all say that, but you learn to survive.”

“I hope I never have to find out.”

Debbie banged the box of photos on the table and said, “That’s enough morbid talk Sunshine. Let’s look at all the pretties in the box.”

She pulled off the cover and started taking out photos and time passed as they pulled out memory after memory, recalling this event and that. There were wedding pictures of Michael and Ben, even some of Mel and Lindsay. Jenny Rebecca’s baby pictures, school pictures chronicling her different ages, a few of Gus in different stages of growth. There was his King of Babylon photo, with his cowboy hat and fringe vest. He shuddered when he thought about that, how he was able to get on stage half-naked and dance in front of all those people. There was even a photo of Michael and Doctor David, standing in front of the Eiffel tower. Several of Vic and Emmett in the kitchen, preparing one of their fabulous meals.

“These pictures are great, Deb. Why haven’t you put them in an album?”

“I have lots of albums Sunshine. I just need time to do everything and I haven’t gotten around to these yet. Eventually I will.”

Justin pulled a picture from the bottom of the pile and sucked in a breath when he saw it. It was a picture of a three year old boy, one that looked very much like Taylor. He was sitting on a wooden horse, and smiling into the camera. “Who is this?” he asked.

“That’s Brian. See, I told you Taylor looks just like him.”

Justin stared at the photo and said, “This isn’t Brian, Deb. This boy has blue eyes.”

He turned the picture around and saw scribble on the back of it, almost illegible, so he fished out his reading glasses and put them on and read, Mark at three. San Diego, California.

“Who the fuck is Mark?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I need to talk to you. Can I come over to your house at five?”

_Sure…have you come to your senses yet?_

“That’s why we need to meet. Please?”

Much later, she walked through the door and dropped her backpack on the floor. She walked into the living room and crossed over to where he stood and threw herself in his arms, crying uncontrollably. He stood mute, aware that he should be saying or doing something, but unable to do so.

_What is it?_

“I’m a wreck, Mark. I’ve been so miserable these last few days without seeing you. Please, hold me…take me to bed.”

_Have you made a decision?_

“Yes, I just want to lie in your arms while we talk about it.” She started to pull off his shirt, running her hands across his broad chest, all the while kissing him, moaning when she felt him touch her, tentatively at first then bolder, rougher as the passion took over. They tore at each other’s clothes and when she was nude in front of him he cupped her breasts.

_They feel different already._

“Love me.”

_I do…I always will…_

He picked her up and moved off to the bedroom where they spent the next hour making love, showing each other how much they cared, how being apart for only four days was too much. Finally, after they were sated and he held a cigarette in his hand, he asked again.

_Have you made a decision?_

“Have you?” she asked.

_You know what mine is. There can only be one decision. Get rid of it!_

“Why?”

_I already explained myself._

“Don’t you believe that abortion is wrong?”

_Do you?_

“I believe in choices for everyone and my choice is life.”

_Jesus Christ! I can’t believe that someone as intelligent as you are cannot see how wrong this is!_

“How can this be wrong? A child created out of love is never wrong.”

_The circumstances are far from ideal. It’s not fair to you or the child to bring them into a world that will judge so harshly._

“You're exaggerating Mark. The world will stand by you if you stand by me and your baby.”

_I’m not prepared to do that yet._

“That’s really what this is all about isn’t it? It’s not my age or my family background. It’s you being afraid to commit. You’re almost thirty-years old and you’ve never been married. It’s rather odd, isn’t it?”

_I never met anyone I wanted to commit to, until now._

“And yet, you can’t bring yourself to do it. You don’t have the guts to stand by me and face the consequences.”

_That’s not true. I just don’t think this is the right time. You are on the brink of many changes in your career. This would derail everything._

“Don’t make this about me, Mark. This is about you.”

_Bullshit!_

“I agree. It’s fucked”

_I didn’t mean you. I just meant the whole situation. You’ve got to have the abortion!_

“Fine.”

_You’ll do it?_ He was shocked that she said yes.

“Yes. But, I don’t want to see you anymore. Not until you make the decision to come out in the open with this relationship.”

_There can be no relationship until you turn eighteen._

“I’ll be eighteen in a few months.”

_I’m sorry…I can’t do anything until you’re legal._

“You’re a coward! People will be fine with this if you are. I’m beginning to wonder if you really love me or if this is all about sex?”

_You’re being dramatic…_

“I’m not the one that does drama.”

_Listen, just take the pill and get rid of the pregnancy. We’ll work through this after that’s done._

She felt the beginnings of a chill climbing through her, settling around her heart. She looked at the man who had been everything to her for the last five months; the one who’d stolen her heart and her virginity. He looked the same, his face as beautiful as ever, but he’d slipped in her estimation, his place on her pedestal quite precarious. She stood and started to hunt around for her clothes which were all over the place, laying where she’d dropped them or where he’d thrown them earlier on, when passion dictated their actions.

“Do you have the pill?” she asked quietly.

_Yes…do you want to take it now?_

“Just give it to me, I’ll take it when I get home.”

_I’d like to be there for you._

“That’s not possible. I’ll be at home when this pill starts to work. You don’t want to have anything to do with my home or my family.”

_Come on…don’t be shitty about this._

“I’m being shitty?”

_You are…why can’t you act like an adult?_

And right there, he sealed his fate. She turned away and waited for him to get the pill. He came back to the room, and handed it to her, all the while avoiding her eyes. She took the pill and wrapped it in a tissue and then threw it in her backpack.

_I’ll call you later, okay?_

“Whatever.”

 

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The phone on his hip buzzed just as he was about to start the board meeting. Brian looked and saw that it was Justin so he excused himself and went into his office and shut the door.

“What’s up?”

“Hey, I’m just leaving Deb’s and I’ve made an incredible discovery.”

“You found the secret recipe to her famous lasagna?”

“Shut up, Brian. This is serious.”

“Okay,” Brian said, hearing the urgent tone. “What is it?”

“I saw the baby picture.”

“What picture?”

“The one that she had, of the kid that supposedly looks like you.”

“And? Come on Justin, I have a boardroom full of people waiting for me. I don’t have time to play guessing games.”

“The kid in the picture wasn’t you but he does look very much like Taylor.”

“Who is he?”

“Someone named Mark.”

“Mark who?”

“That’s just it. Deb couldn’t remember.”

“What the fuck, Justin. This Mark person could be one of Carl’s family members for all we know. What is the point of all of this?”

“I don’t think he’s part of Carl’s family…he sort of looks like Gus, except his eyes are blue.”

“That’s impossible!”

“I’m telling you, Brian. There’s something about this picture that’s really bothering me.”

“Take it to Melanie. Have her give it to the PI, let him look into it.”

“I don’t want to do that. This is something I need to do by myself.”

“Why?”

“If this guy is related to Tay in any way, I don’t want it to become public knowledge. I need to find out all the details before anyone else gets involved.”

“I think you’re reading way more into this than you should. You have absolutely no proof linking this kid in the picture to Taylor. This is kind of far-fetched, Sunshine. Even for you.”

“Haven’t you always said that my instincts are right on the mark?”

“For the most part.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing! God, you are so edgy. What is wrong with you?”

“I don’t know! But something is bothering me and I won’t stop until I find out.”

“Oh God,” Brian groaned, “Here we go.”

“Go back to the board meeting. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Where are you going?”

“To my studio. I want to get on the computer and it’s closer than going all the way home.”

“You can always come here…use the computer in my office and then we can go to lunch.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. I miss seeing your blond boy-ass in my office.”

Justin huffed out a laugh and said, “Only you could change this into something sexual. I’m only coming to do research.”

“I’ll help you,” Brian said, his tone of voice shifting to one that Justin was very familiar with.

“You’re a sick man, Kinney.”

“And you can’t get enough of it, Taylor.”

“Stop it!”

“Are you hard yet?”

“Fucker!”

Brian laughed and disconnected the phone, feeling instantly rejuvenated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The swaying of the train was lulling Sasha to sleep, even though the music was blaring in her ears, thanks to the iphone sending signals to the miniscule speakers that were attached to her head set. She was on her way home from school, the long ride from 14th St. to 86th a ritual she’d become quite familiar with. There were several students who took the train with her each day, but none that lived as far West as she did, which was just as well. She had no use for their mindless chit-chat.

She felt like an ancient traveler, the old soul that Justin had always claimed she was, surrounded by people who were young and innocent. Their struggles were so mundane, especially the kids at school. They stressed out over homework assignments or hooking up with the latest hot guy or girl. Even Ria was starting to wear thin, her constant chatter and need for adventure annoying her. All Sasha wanted was to get through the next three years so that she could move on. If there was a way to move time forward she would have taken it, just to be able to get out of New York.

Pratt was everything she expected. The classes were interesting and she was learning her trade, even though her teachers all considered her to be far ahead of the pack, thanks to the influence and training of Molly Taylor Garcia, who was a world-renowned designer with an enormous following. The summers she’d spent training in Molly’s studio had paid off big-time, although this last summer had been far from ideal. She’d managed to stay as invisible as possible, choosing to work in the studio at night when Molly was asleep and hiding in her room during the day so as not to have to deal with endless questions and prying looks.

It helped that she’d taken Ria into her confidence, as she was the consummate actress, drumming up excuses and scenarios to keep her and Molly from spending any quality time together. Mentally she was in a precarious place and she needed to internalize all her energy to see her plan to fruition. She didn’t need to listen to Aunt Molly being solicitous or kind. She didn’t want advice or suggestions. All she wanted to do was to complete the task she had taken upon herself and be done with it.

The loudspeakers announced her stop and she stood and grabbed her backpack and made her way off the train. She walked swiftly, having a little boost of energy now that she was almost home. She was hungry and wanted a nice warm shower.

Her phone buzzed and she saw that it was Gus.

“Hey bro? What’s up?”

“Sasha, hey, I’m in a huge bind.”

“Why?”

“I need you to come down and watch Taylor for about two hours. I have to meet a client who flew in to town unexpectedly. Aedan’s at a conference in Chicago and Dane’s never available at night.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help you,” she replied automatically.

“Why not? This is like the third time I’ve asked you to watch him and you’ve turned me down. Do you hate kids or is it just this one?” Gus asked, irritated and stressed. He had to find someone within the next half hour or he’d lose the account.

“I don’t hate kids.”

“Look, Sasha…I’ll make it worth your while. I’ll pay you double what I’d pay anyone else. I just need you to catch a cab and get here asap. Please sweetie? I wouldn’t ask if this weren’t such an emergency.”

“Have you tried Sorina?”

“She’s got rehearsals.”

“What about Mama?”

“Sasha…she’s not in town.”

“Oh, that’s right. She flies in tomorrow.”

“Please?”

Sasha let out a huge sigh and reluctantly said yes. “Thank you, thank you,” Gus repeated, over and over. Sasha closed her eyes and immediately regretted her decision.

“How soon can you get here?”

“If I take the subway I’ll be there a lot quicker, even if I do need to transfer. A cab at this time of the day will be a traffic nightmare.”

“Okay, hop on the subway and get here as soon as you can.”

She turned around and headed back down the stairs to get on the train. Each step more difficult than the next. She had this horrible sense of dread, an anxiety that was making her break out into a cold sweat, the tiny beads of perspiration dotting her otherwise smooth forehead.

All the way downtown she kept telling herself to calm down, to get into a zone and not let this affect her. She was terrified that she’d crack. It would be the first time she’d seen Taylor in months and the times previous to that had been a few short visits with the entire Cherny clan. It was easy to disappear in the family group and avoid any contact with the child. In fact, she barely remembered what he looked like, her avoidance of him so complete. Tonight would be another matter entirely.

Every decision she’d made up till now had seemed like the right thing to do. She had no regrets and felt that she had only accrued good Karma. The fact that everything had worked according to an almost impossible plan was proof enough that this was meant to be. She didn’t take into account the fact that she was walking around like the Tin Man. Completely hollow inside, her heart, missing in action, her emotional bank depleted.

She’d always been a mental person, the planner, the one who knew exactly what she wanted out of life and how to get it. All her common sense had flown out the window the day she found that first rose. Every single event after that had been instinctual; her emotions had taken over so quickly, turning her into a pathetic, needy stranger. She hadn’t known how to deal with that person. She’d given her heart so easily, embracing the moment without any thought as to the consequences. Everything that happened to her in the last fifteen months had been so out-of-character and so shocking that she had pushed all thoughts away but one. Protect the child. He was the most important thing right now and she swore again that he would never be hurt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at Kinnetik, Pittsburgh, Justin sat at Brian’s desk, going through several search engines trying to figure out who the mysterious Mark was.

“How are you even going about this?” Brian asked.

“I don’t know. I’m sort of floundering right now.”

“Think about this Justin. If Deb had a picture, this kid must be a relative or the son of a friend. Isolate all those people and start looking at their family trees to try and find Mark.”

“Okay, let’s start with Horvath,” Justin said and began typing. Horvath and his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren came up, filling the page with names and ages and dates. The search engines of the day and age were far more encompassing than those of the past. Privacy was a rare commodity. One click of the mouse could reveal an entire family’s history, starting with the most insignificant detail to the most important.

Brian left Justin to his task, knowing that trying to get a rise out of him at this point was impossible. The man had never wavered in that respect, despite all the years he’d lived. He was as persistent and tenacious as ever and once he got an idea in his head he never let it go. Not until he was satisfied that he’d done everything possible to get to the bottom of what ever was bothering him.

After going through every member of Carl’s family and coming up with nothing significant, Justin moved on to Deb’s, and after her to Michael and Ben, slowly going down the line of all the people they knew who could possibly have sent Debbie that picture.

It was quite disconcerting to see all the details that would pop up on the screen, so much information readily available.

He typed in his name for the hell of it, curious to see what would come up. It was always a surprise to see all the intimate details of your life laid bare for anyone to see. This information encompassed details as early back as the bashing, the headlines of that horrible night splashed across the page.

It chronicled his rise in the art world, his relationship to Brian and Kinnetik, his studio in Pittsburgh, the gallery he owned, his involvement in the GLC, the scholarship for starving young artists, his charitable organizations founded in the last twenty years. Every single detail was mentioned, including his relationship to the twins and Daphne and Alex. They’d never hidden that connection but he was surprised that it was such public knowledge. The fact that he’d fathered the girls and was a huge part of their lives.

Brian came back after about an hour, a mug of coffee in one hand and a sweet roll in the other, to give him the little bit of energy he needed to keep on going.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, squeezing Brian’s hand and smiling when he bent down to kiss him on the neck, just below his ear.

“I’m starting to get impatient…how much longer?”

“I’m almost done.”

“Anything significant?”

“Not a fucking thing.”

Out of sheer desperation, he typed in Brian Kinney and hit ‘enter’ waiting to see what popped up.

The lists of accomplishments were endless, pages and pages worth. He’d been in business now for over thirty years so it wasn’t much of a surprise to see what came up.

He typed in Joan and Jack Kinney and watched as the details of their lives showed up. Claire’s name was next to Brian’s and he clicked on that, waiting to see what information it gleaned. They’d completely lost touch with her years ago, when she and her husband divorced and she moved out of the area with her two boys. She chose to separate herself from Brian and his depraved lifestyle, wanting nothing to do with any of them. It became even easier when Joan died. Then she really had no need to have any contact with Brian whatsoever.

Justin’s hand tightened on the mouse when he saw something that caught his attention. He clicked on that one sentence and that opened up a whole new set of family details on Claire Kinney Bauer, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, currently residing in San Diego, California. She’d remarried, shortly after she left the area and had one more child. Another boy…his name was Mark.

“Oh my God,” Justin whispered, staring at the screen in shock.

“What is it?” Brian asked.

“I think I’ve found Mark.”

“Scoot over,” Brian said, sitting on the vacated chair and typing madly.

The search engine opened up to an entire page of the Kinney-Bauer clan with a couple of pictures of Claire and her husband with the three boys. The picture was taken at least fifteen years ago.

Brian recognized John and Peter immediately. John was hard to forget, considering he had come close to jail time because of his false accusations. If he ever had any doubts as to his sister’s feelings about him they were confirmed the day she chose to believe her son’s words over his. Even after all these years, the pain of her rejection and complete belief in the accusation rankled deeply. The look of disgust and horror in Joan Kinney’s eyes was something he’d take to his grave. It was not her finest moment, nor would it be her last, in the long list of things she could have done better. The incident with John and the police was only tempered by the memory of how Justin had once again saved the day. Even at the young age of nineteen, he’d already known how to come to his rescue, yet one more reason why he loved Justin so fiercely.

Brian had no idea who Steve Bauer was or the boy, Mark, for that matter. He knew nothing about their existence, and was hurt once again to know that his mother and Claire had chosen to keep the news of her new marriage and child to themselves. How Deb had ended up with the picture was a mystery that would probably never be solved. He knew that Joan despised her, considering her to be influential in Brian’s decision to turn queer. As if poor Deb had anything to do with it.

He typed in Mark Bauer which took him into the Allegheny Community College website. He clicked on his name and this brought up his Curriculum Vitae which Brian scanned quickly. He saw that Mark was born in January of 2003, which made him a couple of years younger than Gus. He was a graduate of the University of San Diego, College of Engineering, with several awards in different fields of Industrial Design. There was a list of his classes and contact information.

“Justin…I think we may have a serious problem,” Brian said, looking up at his partner with a deep frown. “Didn’t Sasha take a class at ACC last semester?”

“Yes…Industrial Design. She ended up dropping it before she finished.”

“Did she say why?”

“No, in fact Daphne and I found the whole thing rather odd when it happened. Sasha had nothing but good things to say about the class and her teacher when she started the semester, and then all of a sudden she said she hated it and she dropped out.”

“That’s one of Mark’s classes.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Gus handed over a sheet of paper after Sasha had finally arrived at the house. He had a schedule of everything she needed to know about Taylor, including phone numbers to his pediatrician and the police department.

“He’s asleep right now and probably won’t wake up until I get home. If he does, just change him and carry him around for a while till he gets used to you. He’ll probably cry ‘cause he doesn’t know you but he should settle down right away. He’s really easy going.”

“Then what do I do with him?” Sasha asked, extremely uncomfortable with the whole situation.

“Play with him. Put him on his mat on the floor and haul out his toys. He’s got ten million stuffed animals.”

“Okay. How long are you going to be?” she asked nervously, knowing what the answer was.

“I already told you Sasha. No more than two hours, I’ll drive you home when I get back, okay?”

She nodded her head and moved over to the coat closet to pull out a hanger. She removed her jacket and scarf and hung everything neatly.

Gus grabbed his coat and briefcase and passed through the kitchen on his way to the garage. He kissed her briefly on the cheek and left.

She stood there, paralyzed with fear, unable to move forward into the house. She was terrified to see the baby, yet she had to go upstairs and be near him in case he woke up. She opened the fridge and pulled out a can of Diet Pepsi and grabbed a stick of string cheese that was part of a twelve-pack. She sat at the table, killing time, munching on her snack and finishing her soda.

Finally, she stood up and went into the foyer of the house and took the stairs up to the third floor where the rooms were at. She paused in front of the nursery, her hand on the door, her heart racing uncontrollably. She willed herself to calm down, to walk in and get this over with. She knew she’d have to deal with this eventually and this was actually a perfect time, as she was by herself, without an audience to see her reaction.

She pushed open the door and walked into a cheerful room decorated in primary colors, one wall taken up by the huge mural that Justin had painted. The baby’s crib was in the middle of the room and she walked over to it and looked down at the baby. He was on his back, sleeping peacefully. He held a small yellow chicken made out of terry cloth in one hand; his other hand was pressed up against his fat cheek. His hair was now a darker brown, more like hers, and she could see that it was starting to curl, hopefully soft curls that would be manageable. She moved her hand down and touched him gently on the head so as not to wake him, twirling a lock around her forefinger as she continued to stare at the beautiful boy sleeping peacefully.

She didn’t even notice the tears that were blurring her eyes and eventually rolling down her cheeks. All she could see was the child in front of her. The one she’d risked so much for, the one who had been her only reason to move forward. The one she loved more than life itself.

“Hey, little man,” she said quietly, the tightness in her chest, making it impossible to breath.

Taylor stirred and opened his eyes. They were sparkling blue, just like Mark’s. He looked up at the face hovering over his bed and smiled.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Justin paced back and forth in his studio, waiting for Molly to get to the phone. It took almost four minutes for them to track her down until finally, he heard the familiar voice.

“What’s up big brother?”

“Did you notice anything weird about Sasha when she was there over the summer?”

“Gee, a ‘hi’ or ‘how’s it going’ would have been nice.”

“Sorry…how are you?”

“I’m fine. Now what’s this about Sasha?”

“Did anything strike you as odd or different?”

“She wasn’t her usual self, that’s for sure.”

“Explain.”

“Look Justin…Sasha has spent every summer with me for the past four years. Each time she would stick to me like glue, never far from my side in the studio, asking ten million questions. We had a really good rapport going, but this time it was different.”

“How?”

”Why are you asking these questions? Why not ask her if something is wrong?”

“Because I want your input first. What else did you notice?”

“We never seemed to be in the same place at the same time. When I was in the studio, she was asleep and vice versa. Our hours were all fucked up. The only time I’d see her was in passing and honestly, I must tell you this new look of hers is horrible. The dark, baggy clothes. I suppose she did it to hide the fact that she’d put on some weight. I do like the nose piercing though…I find it very attractive.”

“I do too although Daphne is freaking.”  
“Okay, so what’s this all about?”

“I’ll tell you when I know more, okay?”

“That’s fair enough. How is she doing these days? Does she like it at Pratt?”

“She does and she’s looking a lot better.”

“So she’s lost the weight?”

What the fuck!!

“Uh, yeah…she’s skinny. Like normal.”

“Well she wasn’t when she was here. I suppose it was all the chocolate she was eating…and the bananas.”

“I see. Okay, and she and Ria, how long has that been going on?”

“Nothing’s going on. What do you mean?”

“When did they become as thick as thieves?”

“As soon as they met; Sasha gets her. No one else around here does.”

“Why not?”

“Ria’s into everything American…wants to stay there forever, marry there, she even stopped speaking Spanish, much to her parent’s shock.”

“That’s funny.”

“Not if you don’t speak English.”

“I guess not. Okay, Mollusk, I’ll let you go. How are the kids by the way?”

“Paloma is great! She’s at the University in Barcelona. I’m trying to survive Javie. Unfortunately, he’s got more Taylor in him than Garcia.”

“Stubborn?”

“What do you think?”

“Well good luck with him. I’ve got my hands full as it is.”

“Hey, let me know what this is all about okay? I love that girl.”

“I know, Molly, we all do.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Sorina knocked on the door of Sasha’s bedroom. She heard a muffled sound and assumed it meant enter, so she did.

“Hey, Sash, are you awake?” The room was dark except for the light coming from the goose-neck lamp near the computer. Sasha was lying down on top of her comforter, still in her street clothes minus her shoes. It was almost eleven at night and Gus had just dropped her off.

“Yeah,” she responded quietly.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“What about?”

“Me and Ryan.”

“I guess so.”

“It’s just that with Ria here all the time it’s been hard to catch you alone. I understand she’s out on a date so I thought tonight would be perfect, but then you were out. Where were you?”

“Over at Gus and Aedan’s. I was babysitting.”

“Oh, how fun! How’s Taylor?”

“Good.”

“I’m surprised you sat for him. I know you’ve turned them down before.”

“Whatever. What did you want to talk about?” Sasha asked as she sat up and pushed her pillows up against her back to get comfortable. She leaned up against the headboard and reached over for her backpack, fishing around for a cigarette.

“Don’t light that here! You know Mama will have a fit.”

“Mama doesn’t get in until tomorrow. By then the smell will be gone.”

“Well I don’t like the smell.”

Sasha looked at her sister and said, “Deal with it…you are in my room.”

“What’s wrong with you? You seem really angry at everyone.”

Sasha sighed loudly, lit the cigarette and took a huge drag, blowing out the smoke finally and saying, “I’m fine, Sorina. Just tired.”

Sorina looked at her twin and wondered what she wasn’t telling her. She looked the same physically, except for the nose stud, but there was an aura about her that had never been there before, or at least, Sorina had never noticed it. She seemed to be so far removed from everything. She had a look in her eye that was hard to fathom and if she didn’t know any better she would say that Sasha was on some kind of drug that had turned her into a Zombie. Her eyes were puffy tonight, as if she’d been crying, but Sorina knew that was impossible. Sasha never cried, even the most gut wrenching things on the news or a movie never moved her to tears. It had been years since she’d last seen her sister cry and even then it wasn’t for long. A few tears and then the usual stoic silence.

“So what’s this all about?”

“Ryan is pressuring me to have sex with him.”

“You mean you haven’t yet?” Sasha asked, surprised.

“No…I wanted to wait.”

“For what?”

“To get to know him better, to see if I really love him.”

“Oh. And what have you discovered during your waiting period?”

“I really do love him.”

“So fuck him.”

“God! You make it sound so cold.”

“What? It’s just sex, for Christ’s sake…a bodily function, nothing else. Fuck him and be done with it.”

“I want it to be special for our first time.”

“Wait a minute…after all the time you two have been together here and in Russia, you mean to tell me you haven’t done anything?”

“Well, some things.”

“Such as?” Sasha asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Have you blown him yet?”

“Sasha!” Sorina almost screamed.

Sasha laughed, finally showing some emotion. As usual, her sister was turning everything into a big production, including losing her virginity.

“Are you sure he’s straight? ‘Cause any straight guy wouldn’t be willing to wait this long. He’s probably a closet case.”

“He is not gay!”

“Maybe he’s bi.”

“Will you quit this! I came to get advice. Instead you’re belittling me and my feelings. Ryan is definitely straight!”

“Alright already, jeez, you’re so touchy.”

“Wouldn’t you be if someone insulted the person you love?”

“This is not about me.”

“Okay, so, what should I do?”

“Do you want to sleep with him?”

“Yes.”

“So, what’s the problem? Location? We’re in Manhattan, Sorina. There’s a hotel on every corner. Get a room.”

“God, you are taking all the romance out of this. Shouldn’t I wait till we’re married?”

“Oh-my-God! What fucking century are you living in?”

“What if I get pregnant?”

“Make sure he’s wearing a condom.”

“What if he dumps me afterwards?”

“Then you’ll know he’s a jerk, like most of them are.”

“Have you done it yet?”

“This conversation is not about me, I believe I already said that.”

“I want to know.”

“Why? If I’ve had sex, will it make everything okay? Does that give you more confidence?”

“Well, we’ve always done things around the same time. I know you’re much more practical than I am, but we’re usually on the same page.”

Sasha was getting bored with the whole line of questioning and really didn’t feel like delving into her own sex life which was regrettably non-existent at the present. She didn’t want to talk about her first experience, much less think about it. She’d done everything in her power to try and forget it and rehashing everything for Sorina’s sake would be too painful. She decided to take a whole new approach.

“Sorina, why don’t you get secretly engaged? Have him make a commitment to you and then when you do sleep with him you’ll feel better. It can be more romantic, a prelude to your wedding night, so-to-speak.”

Sorina’s facial expression changed slowly from confused to surprise. “That’s a great idea!”

“Whatever. Just do it already.”

“I’ll discuss it with him.”

“You do that...Sorina?”

“Yes?”

“Make sure he wears a condom.”

“Of course! I’m not that stupid,” she announced and stood to leave the room. She bent down and kissed Sasha on the cheek. “Thank you. You’re the best!”

“You’re welcome,” Sasha said quietly.

Sorina left the room and Sasha remained on her bed with her thoughts. _I’m not that stupid!_ Ironic…the one whose IQ was off the charts _was_ that stupid.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian came home to a house that was steeped in darkness. Not one light had been turned on, except for the lights in the garden and the flood lights outside of the house because of the automatic timers. Inside Britin it was pitch black. He knew Justin was home because his car was in the garage but there was no sign of life anywhere.

“Sunshine!”

Nothing…no reply. He spent the next ten minutes looking for him and finally, he went down to the basement and saw him, sitting in front of the TV in the entertainment area off the home gym. There was an empty bottle of Chateau-Fuisse‛,Pouilly-Fuisse‛ in front of him and a half full one in his hand.

“Whoa…this is a reverse.”

“I thought I’d try some of your tried and tested pain management techniques,” Justin slurred, looking completely wrecked.

“And is it working?” Brian asked, taking off his jacket and throwing it on the other sofa. He toed off his shoes, ridding himself of his shirt and he parked himself on the sofa, beside Justin. He reached over and took the bottle from Justin’s hand and took a huge gulp.

“Hey, get your own bottle,” Justin said, leaning over and giving Brian a sloppy kiss.

“At fifty bucks a bottle I thought we could share.”

“Cheapskate.”

“Not cheap, Sunshine, just practical.” He took another gulp and said, “Are you going to tell me what this is all about before you pass out?”

“I found out more about the infamous Mark.”

“I’m waiting…”

“He’s Claire’s youngest son.”

“We’ve already established that.”

“He was definitely Sasha’s teacher in Industrial Design.”

“How do you know?”

“I called the College and asked if Sasha was in that class. I gave them some bullshit story about a possible refund since she dropped it.”

“And?”

“And it’s fucked!”

“Justin, we’re going to go through an entire case of wine if you don’t start speaking in paragraphs. What the hell is going on?” Brian asked.

Justin looked at him, the pain in his eyes shocking Brian into silence. He watched Justin’s face crumple up and the tears started to pour down his face without letup. “Hey, come here,” he said gently, embracing him tightly against his chest, his own concerns put aside as he listened to his partner breaking down. Finally, when the sobbing subsided a little bit, he lifted Justin’s face up and started kissing him, rubbing away the tears with his cheek, his lips moving over Justin’s face. “What is it?”

“I think I know who Taylor’s parents are.”

“I think I know what you’re going to say, but it’s just not possible.”

“Why not?”

“I’ve been thinking about this all day,” Brian said, reaching for his wine and taking a sip. “Even if she did know him, how do you hide a pregnancy? It’s physically impossible to do that.”

“It’s possible if no one is looking.”

“What do you mean?” Brian asked, the deep trenches between his brows appearing automatically, despite the Botox.

“Let’s face it, Brian. No one, other than me, pays much attention to what Sasha does or doesn’t do. It’s always been about Sorina.”

“That’s just because Sorina is needier and louder and tells us everything! Christ, she’d tell me what time she took a shit if I would listen. Sasha has always been so independent and capable. I can’t remember the last time she asked us for any help. That doesn’t mean she’s not loved.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You implied it.”

“Brian, I’m not saying you don’t love her. Deep down inside, you love her as much as her sister; it’s just that no one ever notices Sasha when Sorina’s around. And you’re not the only one guilty of this. Daphne and Alex are as well.”

“That’s not true.”

“Really? Have you even noticed the diamond in her nose?”

“Her what?”

“Exactly!”

“Come on, Justin. You’re exaggerating.”

“I wish I were.” Justin took the bottle out of Brian’s hand and drained it in one gulp. “We’re going to need another one.”

Brian stood up and moved over to the other side of the room where they kept their wine in a temperature controlled cabinet. It was huge and held an assortment of wines that Brian had been collecting over the years since he’d decided to forgo the hard liquor on a daily basis. Wine was better for him anyway and in his usual inimitable fashion, he had to have the best available, whenever he was in the mood. He opened a door and pulled out another bottle of the white wine that Justin had been draining, bringing two glasses back with him.

“If we’re going to get shit-faced, let’s at least be civilized about it,” Brian stated as he proceeded to uncork the wine and pour some of the liquid into the crystal goblets.

“Do you remember last Fall I mentioned that Sasha seemed really happy?” Justin started talking again.

“Yeah…it was around the time she started wearing a rose in her hair. That much I noticed!”

“It was hard not to, because it was so unlike her. Daphne and I would comment on her new look and I even joked and said she must have a boyfriend, which Daphne immediately shot down, saying that it wasn’t possible.”

“Why the hell not? The girl was seventeen, for Christ’s sake.”

“She’s never even been on a date, Brian! She has a reputation of being critical and impatient with all the young men around her. I’ve heard her say time and again that she wanted to marry someone like Gus.”

“She’s been saying that since she was eight years old. Just like Sorina wanted to marry a fucking prince. Were we supposed to take that seriously?”

“Maybe we should have. And maybe I should have started to ask more questions when the rose disappeared, only to be replaced by her Vampire look.”

“That was quite a switch, now that you mention it.”

“It was a fucking sign and no one paid any attention!”

“Justin, how do you hide a pregnancy? Even if we didn’t notice, Molly would have. She’d have been long gone by the time she got to Madrid. And where did she have the baby? Here or there? There are too many variables that are not adding up.”

“I spoke to Molly this morning. She said that they were hardly ever together, but she did comment on the fact that Sasha had gained weight.”

“She did?”

“Yes. She also said that she subsisted on chocolates and bananas for three months.”

“God, I can’t believe this is happening. It’s like something out of a country western hit…my sister had a baby and now he calls me Dad,” Brian started to sing, in a heavy southern accent.

“Brian, please don’t joke. This is a fucking tragedy.”

“I know, Justin. I’m freaking out if you want to know the truth.” Brian stood up abruptly and started pacing. “If your suspicions are correct, what are we going to do? Confront her? Tell Gus? You know that if she took Taylor away it would break their hearts. They really love this kid.”

“I know…”

“This would explain so much,” Brian said quietly, “Her desire to have Taylor in his name, as well as Kinney. And let’s not forget the milk allergy,” he threw out, remembering the Soy, all of a sudden. “Justin, he really is your grandson.”

“And your grand-nephew or whatever-the-fuck title you want to give him.”

“He really is family.”

“Of course he is!”

“Hey, don’t yell at me! I’m on your fucking side here.”

Justin started to cry again. The tears running down his face in big droplets, making him seem much younger than the forty-seven year old man that he was. Brian automatically sat down and took him in his arms, never able to resist a distraught Justin.

“What are we going to do?” Justin blubbered.

“We can start by killing Mark.”

Justin pushed Brian away and said, “Don’t even think about talking to him.”

“Why not?”

“Because. We need to talk to Sasha first; I want to know what happened. Why she did this.”

“Do you think she’ll admit it?”

“If I have enough evidence she will. Sasha has never lied to me.”

“That you know of.”

“She hasn’t,” Justin stated emphatically. “My problem is the evidence. How am I going to prove this, when the private investigator came up with nothing?”

“He had no leads whatsoever, Justin. Now you and I know where to look.”

“Okay, why don’t you try to learn more about Mark. Find out if anyone ever saw them together or noticed anything about the two of them, but be discreet for God’s sake!”

“Are you trying to say something?”

“I don’t want you going off half-cocked, Brian. We don’t want him to get suspicious.”

“I got it, Sunshine. Contrary to what you think, I’m a pretty smart man. What are you going to do?”

“I’ll start with American Airlines and go from there.”

Brian took the wine glass from Justin’s hand and drained in one gulp.

“Hey, that’s mine.’

Brian grabbed Justin’s head and kissed him deeply, sharing some of the wine that was still in his mouth, watching the overflow dribble down Justin’s chin. He pulled away from his partner and said, “If you’re going with my PMT, then we need to follow this through to the very end.”

“Your what?” Justin asked, completely clueless.

“Pain management techniques, Sunshine. First you get shit faced and then you get horny and finally you fuck the problem out of your head.”

“How about if I fuck the problem out of your ass?”

“I can deal with that, once in a while.”

“Is tonight the once or the while?”

“You’re so drunk,” Brian laughed, bending forward and licking Justin’s chin.

“I know,” Justin giggled. “I’m also horny as fuck.”

“You’re right on track…now we have to divest ourselves of our clothes.”

“You sound like an instruction manual.” Justin said, starting to laugh hysterically.

Brian stood and tugged at Justin’s pants, easily pulling them off since they were sweat pants and only held on by elastic. He was rewarded by the sight of Justin’s impressive erection, bobbing at him.

“Yum,” Brian whispered, bending down and engulfing Justin’s entire cock in his mouth, sucking on him until he heard the groan and felt the trembling in Justin’s legs.”

“Put your legs on my shoulder, Sunshine. I need to eat your ass.”

“You need to?” Justin asked, putting his arms over his face, and moving his legs, only too happy to comply.

Brian moved his mouth from Justin’s cock to his tight, pink hole, twirling little circles around it.

“Not fair,” Justin squeaked out, barely able to get his throat to cooperate. “You said I could be the fucker and you’d be the fuckee.”

“I don’t recall that conversation,” Brian mumbled, his mouth full of boy-ass at the present.

“Oh who gives a shit,” Justin moaned desperately, “Just fuck me!”

Brian moved away from Justin and quickly pulled his own pants down and turned his partner over so that he could get to him except he was draped over the sofa, half his body on the seat the other half kneeling on the floor.

“You need to move, you’re too low and this is uncomfortable,” Brian said, trying to move Justin who was getting heavier and sleepier by the minute. “And don’t you dare fall asleep on me or I’ll have to spank you awake.”

“What?” Justin said, perking up instantly.

“Oh, you liked that, humm?” Brian said, bringing his hand down forcefully in an open-handed thwack right in the center of Justin’s ass.

“Brian,” Justin yelled out in shock, his erection pressing hard against him.

“Again?” Brian asked, spanking Justin harder this time and then rubbing his hand all over the red welts that were appearing instantly. He rubbed and massaged, moving his hand down and around Justin’s balls to feel his cock, pleased with the impressive woody waiting to be manhandled.

“More…”

“Once more, Sunshine,” Brian said, bringing his hand down again in another forceful slap, relishing the sound of the shocked intakes of breath coming out of his partner’s mouth. He pressed his face down and rubbed his now bristly, ten-o’clock shadow against the redness, feeling the heat radiating off Justin’s tender skin and hearing the whimpers turning to moans as the friction from his scruff created the most unbelievable sensations, driving them both a little crazy.

“I really need to fuck you, Sunshine.”

“Do it,” Justin all but sobbed, “Please,” Justin’s voice turning quite desperate as the throbbing on his ass matched that of his heart beat. He moved his hand down to relieve himself, only to have it swatted away by Brian and he screamed when Brian wrapped his fingers around his cock and drove into him simultaneously, plowing in as deeply as possible, impaling Justin with his massive erection.

The heat was radiating off Justin’s beautiful backside, almost singeing Brian. He paused in his movements, relishing every exquisite moment as Justin continued to writhe, rubbing his hot bottom against Brian’s balls, the resulting goose bumps rippling up and down his arms. Finally, Brian started to move again, with a skilled rolling of his hips, never speeding up the tempo, just pulling out slowly and then plunging back in, hitting Justin’s prostate over and over, the mixture of pain and pleasure making him lean his head back and groan loudly. He squeezed Justin’s hips with curled fingers, digging in and marking the skin again, needing to hear the begging, the ‘fuck me’, the whimpers. He was going nuts with the sensation his movements were creating.

The room was filled with the sounds of their lovemaking. Brian’s loud grunts as he thrust back and forth and Justin’s answering moans were the only noise in the room. They cried out as they came together, the one all over Brian’s hand and the other deep within Justin’s body, the pulsing stream of liquid enhancing the mutual orgasm which seemed to go on forever and ever and ever…

 

 

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

****Sorina sat on a bench in the studio, tying on her toe shoes and getting ready for the next round of rehearsal. The opening of their season was in two weeks and the atmosphere in the dance company had escalated to a controlled frenzy, made even more intense by the fact that several members of the Russian Royal Ballet would be joining the festivities and giving them the moral support they needed for the debut of their young group. It was one thing to perform in front of an audience who appreciated dance; it was another kind of pressure to have to perform in front of members of the Russian Ballet, an elite group made up of the world’s finest dancers. This generated a whole new level of anxiety.

Aside from being stand-ins for the lead, she and Ryan had been given the opportunity to dance one number, to placate them, but also to introduce the pair to the audience to see what type of interest they generated. They were going to dance the Black Swan Pas de Deux from the third scene of Swan Lake, parts normally reserved for the lead dancers, but now, their chance to perform and prove their worth.

Sorina was beside herself with excitement. She was driving Ryan crazy with the need to practice until they were too exhausted to stand, pushing him to be the best he could possibly be.

“Are you about done?” he asked, wandering over to her side from across the room.

“Just about. One more knot and we’re good to go.”

“Sorina, let’s just do the adagio and call it quits for the day. I’m exhausted and I don’t want to risk dropping you.”

“That’s fine,” she replied. They were interrupted by a buzz of voices and all heads looked towards the entrance of the hall and at the three figures that stood there.

All were dressed in street clothes, obviously coming directly from the airport. There were two women and one man. Sorina recognized the women from the photographs and DVD’s she’s seen of the RRB. They were both prima ballerinas and had reputations that she could only aspire towards.

The male accompanying them was unmistakably the star of the trio, his demeanor, even from this distance, leaving no room for doubt as to who was the center of attention. He looked quite typical from far away, the slim, blond look ordinary, but when he turned and his icy blue eyes latched on to hers, the mutual recognition was instant and alarming. She felt her heartbeat accelerating and a panic washing through her like an acid bath. “Yury,” she whispered, under her breath, his name synonymous with all kinds of evil. She may as well have said, ‘Dracula’ for all the fear it generated in her.

She turned around quickly and moved off to the other side of the room, her heart racing. She could feel herself starting to hyperventilate and she willed herself to calm down. It had been five years since she’d last seen the dancer. Five incredible years and their paths had never crossed, a rarity considering they were in the same field. However, he was here now and she feared that this could only mean bad things for her. She never forgot the trauma he caused the last time they had an encounter.

Ryan sidled up to her and whispered, “What’s wrong?”

“That man.”

“What about him?”

“He hates my family.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s a long story,” Sorina said, moving towards the exit, only to be stopped by the voices of the approaching figures.

“Sorina, Ryan! Wait a minute!”

Sorina felt a hand on her arm and she spun around, confronted by the group of visitors and Ivan, the director of their small company. He gathered Sorina and Ryan around him like a mother-hen and said, “I’d like you to meet two of our upcoming stars. Ryan and Sorina…they joined the company six months ago.”

The primas cracked smiles and nodded in the direction of the pair but Yury’s eyes lit up when he stared into Ryan’s incredible gray eyes and he did a quick perusal of the rest of him as well, sizing him up from head to toe, obviously pleased with what he saw. He reached out and took Ryan’s hand and squeezed it, almost purring as he greeted him.

Yury hadn’t changed much in five years. He was still a predator, always looking for the next conquest. At forty, his face was wrinkle free, thanks to the wonderful world of cosmetic surgery and although his hair was thinning at the top, there was still enough of it to keep it long so he could whip it around as he liked to do, whenever he had one of his tantrums or needed attention. There was no question that he continued to be very attractive and radiated a sexuality that was unmistakable, if you were gay of course. Ryan seemed impervious to his charms.

“Sorina,” Yury said, turning his focus to her. “It’s been a long time. Look how beautiful you are!”

“Thank you,” she replied coolly.

“How is the family?”

“My family is fine, thanks for asking.”

“How is Brian?”

“He’s well.”

“In good health?”

“Excellent!”

“I see,” Yury said, switching his attention to Ryan again. “I’ve heard very good things about you.”

“Really?” Ryan said, thrilled to be noticed by anyone at this early stage of his career.

“Yes,” Yury said, placing an arm gently on Ryan’s shoulder, moving him away from Sorina. “Why don’t you and I set up some time so that I can give you some pointers, after all, we men in the ballet world need to stick together, _n’est-ce pas_?”

Sorina stood watching helplessly as Yury and Ryan moved across the room and she saw that the Russian had his head bent towards her boyfriend, whispering in his ear and she could feel her hackles rising, the green goddess racing through her unexpectedly. She’d never been jealous of anyone in her life, but right now she wanted to wrap her delicate hands around Yury’s neck and squeeze until the threat of his presence was removed from her life and most especially, from Ryan’s.

_Wait till they hear that he’s back._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justin got into the limo that he’d hired for the day and sipped the coffee that the driver had handed him as soon as he got into the vehicle.

He had flown in on his own, sending the jet back to Pittsburgh so that Brian could join him later on tonight. He needed this day to finalize his investigation, not that he would discover much more. He’d already uncovered too much as it was, each piece of information another nail in his coffin.

His guilt weighed heavily. He considered this whole fiasco to be his fault for not paying more attention to his daughter. How could he have been so blind? All these years the girls and he had such a special bond, but his relationship with Sasha had been especially close. He always thought they were of like minds and the fact that he didn’t pick up on her distress was eating away at him like the worst cancer. This final stop would just confirm what he already knew, but he had to see it through to the finish.

An hour later he left the firehouse with a brown paper sack and directed the driver to take him to the Cherny’s apartment in the upper west side. He picked up his cell phone and dialed Sasha’s number, listening while it went to voice mail. He left her a message, saying he was in town and wanted to talk, and nothing more. He disconnected and stared out the window, unmindful of the fact that they were snarled in the usual Manhattan traffic that would normally irritate the hell out of him. Finally, the limo resumed its snail’s pace and eventually stopped in front of the Cherny’s high rise.

He let himself into the apartment with the key that Daphne had provided him months ago and he went to the kitchen and sat at the table, waiting for someone to get home. The house was as quiet as a tomb so he went into the living room and turned on the TV needing the noise to distract him from his dark thoughts. He stared out the window at the concrete jungle in front of him and saw nothing.

Eventually, the front door opened and his beautiful eighteen year old daughter with the diamond twinkling in her nose walked into the house.

“Daddy!” she exclaimed, seemingly delighted to see her father. She went up to him and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tightly. When he barely responded, she moved back and stared into the troubled blue eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, concern sweeping over her instantly.

“How did you pull it off?” he asked quietly.

She stepped back, shocked by the question.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t,” he said, his eyes suddenly going cold. “Please don’t make this worse by lying…I know.”

She turned away quickly and moved off towards the big picture window and she pressed her head to it. “What do you know?” she said, in a barely audible voice.

“I know that you’ve been through hell and back without any of us to help you.”

She turned towards him and looked stricken, her face pale and her eyes completely haunted. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, do you?”

“I know enough.”

Sasha gathered up the last of her resolve and lifted her chin and said defiantly, “You know nothing.”

He grabbed the brown paper sack that he had brought with him and pulled out a large gray sweatshirt that had ‘Real Madrid’ embroidered on it. “Isn’t this yours?”

“Where did you get that?”

“At the firehouse. It was thrown in a big box with a bunch of toys and clothes waiting to be donated. I figured it was yours as soon as I saw the logo. Apparently, no one knew where it came from until the Chief saw me holding it and when I asked, he said that a few months ago they found a baby wrapped in this same sweatshirt. The baby was Taylor.”

“Fuck!”

“Sasha,” Justin said, watching as his daughter morphed in front of his eyes, from the self-assured young girl he’d known all her life to this frightened, wounded thing he didn’t recognize. Her calm exterior started to crack slowly and he watched as her lips started to tremble and the unheard of tears finally made an appearance, a shocking sight considering their source. He moved towards her and took her in his arms holding her as her slight body shook with gut wrenching sobs that came from somewhere deep inside. It was heartbreaking but all he could do was hold her as tightly as possible and let her feel his strength, hoping that would be enough for now.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, she pushed him away and begged, “You can’t tell anyone.”

“Your dad already knows.”

“Who else?”

“No one.”

“Good.” She moved away from him and wiped her face with the sweatshirt that was lying on the sofa, gathering her thoughts and trying to resume the façade that had become so much a part of her persona. “You must promise me that you will not divulge this information to anyone, ever!” Sasha said, turning around swiftly, the steely look back in her eyes again. Gone was the pitiful wreck of a few minutes ago and in her place was a strong and determined individual.

“First of all, I need to know why you did this,” Justin said seriously. “Secondly, I want to know how the hell you pulled it off, and thirdly, I will make no promises, until you promise me, that you will tell me the truth, with no holds barred. I deserve that much before I can promise you anything. And by the way, whatever you tell me, I will tell Brian. That is a given.”

“Why does he have to know too?”

“Because we don’t have any secrets from each other and besides, he’s your father and already knows part of this. Why wouldn’t you want him to know the entire story? And what about your mother and your papa?”

“I want Taylor protected. The fewer people who know, the better!”

“And you don’t think we do? My God, Sasha, have we failed you that much?”

“No, Daddy, it’s not you. I just want him to be safe.”

“From what?”

“From his father…I don’t want him to know he exists, so if no one knows he’s mine the chances of his finding out are nil.”

“I see…well, he’s safe for now. I guarantee it.”

“You can’t guarantee anything,” his daughter said cynically. “No one can.”

Justin was shocked by her remark, wondering again for the hundredth time in the last week what had happened to turn her into this jaded person who trusted no one.

“I think I need a drink,” she said, under her breath.

“You want me to get you a soda or water?”

“No, I was thinking of something with alcohol in it. There’s beer in the fridge.”

“Okay,” Justin replied, surprised by her request. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her have a drink. He came back with two bottles of Heineken and he and Sasha sat down on the sofa. Justin watched as she put the bottle to her lips, downing almost half of the liquid before putting it down and looking at him.

“What do you want to know?”

“Who’s the father?”

“His name is Mark Bauer. He was my professor at ACC.”

“How old is he?”

“Twenty-nine.”

“Why didn’t he stand by his child and you for that matter?”

“He was worried that you and the rest of my parents wouldn’t accept him because I was underage and he was who he was.”

“And who is he?” Justin asked, even though he already knew the answer.

“Look,” she said, the old fire creeping into her eyes, “He’s Claire Kinney’s youngest son. He was sure that Daddy Brian would freak and hate him on the spot because of it.”

“He didn’t give us much credit for anything, did he?”

“Whatever.”

“Do you love him?” Justin asked gently.

Sasha’s face registered the surprise she felt at the question. She expected to hear a lot from her father but never that. “I did.”

“What made you change?”

“I was just a fuck to him…our relationship meant nothing,” she replied in a whisper.

Justin felt like he’d been hit alongside the head by a two-by-four, the déjà vu rising up unexpectedly. He reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. “Why do you say that?”

“Because it’s the truth! I was good enough to bed, but not to marry. As soon as he found out I was pregnant, he wanted me to get rid of it.”

“Did you guys ever talk about any sort of future plans before you got pregnant?”

“He said he wanted to marry me. Before I let him fuck me,” she said with a smirk.

“Sasha,” Justin said, inwardly cringing at her language. Not so much the wording, but more the tone. He felt like he was talking to a pre-historic Justin Taylor; someone innocent and in love and very, very hurt.”

“Tell me how it was in the beginning, Sash. How did it start?” he asked, switching tactic, to see if he could get her in a better place.

“He started sending me flowers every day.”

“The rose?”

“You noticed?”

“It was hard not to. You were so happy at the time.”

“I was…he was wonderful, Daddy. He made me feel beautiful for the first time in my life.”

“Honey, you are beautiful, you know I’ve always said that to you.”

“I’m not…it’s Sorina that’s always carried that title. I’m the smart, one, the reliable one.”

He could see the pain peeking through again. Justin had no idea that she felt this way and the realization that he and everyone else had missed this, had not realized how insecure she was, made him nauseous. He could feel his stomach heaving, the urge to throw up so strong. He brought the beer bottle up to his mouth and took a long swallow, hoping it would settle him.

“I’ve never known what it’s like to have someone think that I’m drop-dead gorgeous,” Sasha continued, her voice taking on a dreamy tone as she remembered Mark. “He made me feel like I was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, the sexiest, the most charming.  
I know I’m not a troll, Dad, but I’ve always felt like a toned-down version of Sorina. She’s always been able to turn heads, while people would only look through me.”

“Sweetie, you are a beautiful young woman. I could go on and on about all the things that make you attractive, but I think that right now, your perception of yourself is far from realistic.”

“Bullshit, Dad! You know I’m telling it like it is.”

Justin gazed at her and brought his hand up to move a lock of her hair away from her eyes. “You’re wrong to think that. You are both beautiful, unique in your own way. Sorina is a diamond that flashes and sparkles, people can’t seem to resist wanting to look and touch.”

“I know,” she said, her eyes awash with tears again.

“You, my darling daughter, are as precious and as rare as a South Sea pearl. The longer one looks at your face the more beautiful you become. Your coloring couldn’t be more perfect, your skin is almost iridescent and when I look into your eyes, I see the purest of hearts, a rare and precious gem of a girl that no one would ever dare to call a toned-down version of anything!”

“Mark would say that sometimes,” she said, a big tear rolling down her cheek.

“Well, that’s one thing he did right,” Justin said gently, swiping away her tear with his thumb. “Tell me what Mark’s like.”

“He could be Gus’ twin, except for the blue eyes. He is beautiful!”

“And is that why you fell in love with him? Because he’s good looking, and reminded you of Gus?”

“In the beginning. I won’t deny that I’ve always loved Gus and if circumstances had been different, I would have wanted to marry him.”

“Sasha,” Justin said gently. “I thought that was just a childhood crush.”

“I’ve loved Gus all my life,” Sasha said, picking up a throw pillow and hugging it against her body. “There will never be anyone like him, but I’m not insane or delusional, Dad. I know he’s my half-brother and bi-sexual. I know we’ll never be a couple.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“Come on, Dad. I’m not that crazy.”

“When did you start falling for Mark?”

“As soon as I met him-he’s just as intelligent as Gus and physically, he couldn’t be more perfect. He and I had terrific chemistry, you know?”

“I know,” Justin said quickly, praying he wouldn’t get the details.

“It’s just that he’s got all these hang-ups about our age difference and the feud between his mother and Daddy B. I think it was all an excuse. He’s just mental and has issues.”

“What kind of issues?”

“Commitment issues, okay! He’s marriage phobic. Why would he still be single after all these years?”

“Maybe he’s just never found the right person.”

“Yeah, that’s what he said, before I got knocked up. And I believed him, like some fucking stupid, love-sick cow! I can’t believe how dumb I was.”

“Never dumb, Sasha. You were in love and trusted him.”

“No! I was so stupid! I should have known better! This is all a moot point anyway, because it’s over and I’ve moved on.”

“Have you?”

“Of course I have!”

“Then why aren’t you dating anyone?”

“I don’t want to discuss it.”

“You’re still in love with him, aren’t you?”

“I’m not. It’s over,” Sasha said, clearly lying. Her eyes were once again twinkling with unshed tears.

Justin reached for her and pulled her up to his chest, wrapping his arms around her. He bent down and kissed her forehead and said, “Let’s talk about Taylor.”

“Let’s not.”

“We have to address this, sweetie. Why didn’t you come to any of us when you found out you were pregnant? Surely you didn’t think we’d act like a bunch of hillbillies and go after Mark with a shot-gun?”

“I was worried that you’d push me into having the abortion or that you’d have Mark fired and or arrested if he didn’t marry me.” Sasha moved away from him and sat up straight, looking him right in the eye. “I didn’t want him backed into a corner. I wanted him to come to the realization that he wanted me and our child all on his own, without outside influences. I wanted him to marry me because he loved me.”

“Obviously, that realization never came, right?”

“You’re brilliant, Daddy.”

“Sasha.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You took a huge risk having the baby on your own.”

“I hadn’t planned on it. I figured that eventually someone would notice I was pregnant, but by then it would be too late to do anything about it. The funny thing is no one did! This just proves what I’ve been saying all along. I’m invisible…the only time anyone notices me is if I say or do something outrageous or out-of-character.”

“I’m sorry Sasha. We’ve all failed you.”

“It’s okay…it all worked out for the best. Taylor is where he should be. I couldn’t have picked better parents for him.”

“Where did you give birth?”

“In a hotel in Queens, in China town to be exact.”

“Jesus Christ! Alone?”

“No, Ria was with me. We flew in from Madrid two days ahead of schedule and found this hotel in China town. I had the name of a doctor that was given to me by the guy I was seeing in the Pitts.”

“What? What guy in the Pitts?”

“Some ancient pharmacist in Chinatown. He and his wife have a store that stocks herbs and Eastern medicine. One of my classmates told me about him.”

“This is too weird,” Justin said under his breath.

“Why? He’s very knowledgeable and gave me some good vitamins. Look how healthy Taylor is.”

“Oh, he’s very knowledgeable. Your Dad and I know all about him.”

“Really? Anyway, he was very cool and gave me the name of his friend in Queens who could help me. I knew I’d be due just around the time we were getting back from Madrid. I planned to see him as soon as we landed and have him give me something to induce labor but as it turned out, I didn’t need it. I went into labor a few hours after the plane landed and Ria helped me. Everything just worked out fine, except for her fucking stupidity in wrapping Taylor with my sweatshirt.”

“I can’t believe the two of you pulled this off on your own. How did she get to the firehouse with a new born infant?”

“Taxi.”

“From Queens? That must have cost a small fortune.”

“I had the money, Daddy. I’d been saving up for this.”

“You’re something else, you know that?”

“Yes, well, I’m quite brilliant once I stop thinking with my vagina.”

“Aren’t you going to want Taylor to know who his mother is? You do realize that if you take him away from Gus and Aedan they will never forgive you. Not to mention the fact that you will create the biggest rift in this family.”

“I never said I’d take him away from Gus. He’s where I want him to be.”

“But what about you, sweetie? Don’t you want to be a part of Taylor’s life? Every child needs a mother and regardless of how good Gus and Aedan are with him, the fact is, you are his mother and Taylor deserves to know that. And what about Mark?”

“What about him? He knows nothing about Taylor. As far as he’s concerned, his child was flushed down the toilet months ago. He has no rights whatsoever to Taylor or me for that matter.”

“Alright, but that still leaves the fact that you are Taylor’s mother and should be a part of his life.”

“I will be…he has my love unconditionally and I will always be there for him, as his aunt. That’s all he needs to know. It’s my decision, Daddy, and you must respect it!”

 

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

****“I’m looking for Professor Bauer.”

The secretary at the registrar’s office looked up from her paperwork and was immediately taken by the arresting face in front of her. Brian had one of his Armani suit’s on, the dove gray, to be exact, which complimented his salt and pepper hair to perfection. He’d stopped wearing brown years ago, when the silver in his hair had overtaken the brown, reasoning, and rightly so, that brown would no longer work with his palette and so he stuck to blues, blacks and grays, all colors that brought out the best in him. At sixty, he was distinguished and still devastatingly handsome, turning heads everywhere he went. Men and women still responded to him unhesitatingly, which was a good thing because his ego couldn’t deal with the alternative. The day he stopped turning heads would be the day he lit the flames of his funeral pyre.

“I believe he’s in the teachers lounge down the hall in room four-twelve.”

“Thank you,” he said, rewarding her with a smile that would have easily had her shedding her panties, if he were so inclined.

He made his way down the hall and stuck his head in the open door, knocking at the same time. There was one man in the room whose back was turned to him and he spun around when he heard the knock and Brian was blown away! He looked like a younger version of himself and a slight variation of Gus, but there was no denying that this man was a Kinney.

“Hi,” the younger man said, lifting his brow in a very familiar way. “Can I help you?”

“Are you Mark Bauer?”

“Yes…and you are?”

“Brian Kinney,” he replied, sticking out his hand, noticing the look of surprise in the ocean blue eyes. “I’m your uncle.”

“I…I know,” Mark stammered. “What can I do for you?”

“I just found out about you actually,” Brian said, “And I thought I’d come by and introduce myself, since you and my sister never bothered to tell me you were in town, let alone existed!”

“She must have had her reasons,” Mark replied. “How’d you find out about me?”

“Doesn’t matter-what’s important is that I have.”

“Important to whom?”

“I think it’s important to both of us. Your mother and I never got along, but that’s no reason for her to hide the fact that she had another child. You are still family.”

“I didn’t think you’d feel that way.”

“Why not?”

“I suppose my mother gave me to understand that you weren’t into family.”

“What happened between us was her choice. The little contact that I had with her and my nephews ended when she left town. How are they by the way?”

“Who?”

“John and Peter.”

“They’re fine.”

“Married? Family?” Brian felt like he was pulling teeth. The man in front of him was more tight-lipped than he was.

“John’s been divorced for years. He never remarried, no kids. Peter has a wife and two little girls.”

“Oh, so your mother is a grandma.”

“Yes.”

“She must be pleased to finally have some girls in her life.”

“She’s been legally blind for years. She’s never seen them.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Are you?”

“Of course-I’m human, aren’t I?”

Mark laughed, surprised at the statement. “I just thought you hated her guts.”

“She’s the one that had issues with me.”

“Because you’re gay?”

“She actually talked to you about me? I would have thought that she’d never speak my name, once she got away from here.”

“She didn’t for years until one of the teachers in my school called her in for a parent-teacher conference and when she found out he was gay she started ranting about you. It was quite the eye-opener for me.”

“No doubt,” Brian replied. “So, do you have a problem with homosexuals?”

“No, so long as they’re not trying to fuck me.”

Brian laughed, warming to the man in front of him. “Fair enough,” he said.

“How did you find out about me?” Mark asked.

“My daughter was in your class last year.”

“Oh? I don’t recall having a Kinney in my class,” Mark replied, even though he knew about Sasha’s connection with Brian.

“Her name is Sasha Cherny. She doesn’t carry the Kinney name.”

“I see,” Mark said, fidgeting with a pencil that was close by. “How is Sasha?”

“She’s doing great. Lives in New York. She’s at Pratt studying to be a jewelry designer, but you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“She did mention an interest in jewelry but she dropped my class. I lost touch with her after that. Is she okay?”

“Dazzling!”

“That’s great! Send her my best, will you?”

“Sure. Are you interested in getting acquainted with your long-lost uncle?”

Mark looked surprised by the invitation but quickly responded with a resounding, “I’d love to.”

“How about a game of racquetball? Do you play?”

“Yes.”

“Good. This Thursday okay for you?”

“Yes.”

“Do you ever speak in whole sentences?” Brian asked.

Mark laughed again, drawn to his uncle, despite his mother’s negative stories. “I do, when I’m not so shocked.”

“Okay, I’ll hold you to that. I expect to hear all about your life the next time I see you. Meet me at the Westside Club at seven o’clock.”

“PM or AM?”

“AM, of course.”

“Right,” Mark replied, already wishing he could back out. He was not a morning person.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryan stood in front of his locker getting ready to change into street clothes. He had removed his shirt and was getting ready to take off his tights when the door swung open and Yury walked in.

“Hi,” Ryan said, his thumbs hooked on to the elastic of his black tights, getting ready to pull them down.

“That was a good practice,” Yury said, his eyes resting on Ryan’s well-formed chest. “Are you tired?”

“Not really. I’m more hungry than anything else.”

Yury sidled up to Ryan, putting both hands on his shoulders and kneading them gently, reaching down to his arms and squeezing tightly, causing Ryan to moan as he enjoyed the massage. “I’m hungry too,” Yury whispered into his ear. “Why don’t you lie down on this bench and let me sooth you. I can feel how tight you are, _mon ange_ ” Yury purred, all the while moving Ryan towards the row of benches.

“Here,” Yury said, stopping at a bench. “Lie down, facing up.”

“Up?”

“Yes, your chest and shoulders have to be massaged first. Then I’ll do your back.”

“Umm, okay,” Ryan said, filled with misgivings.

He watched as Yury laid a towel on the bench and made him sit on it, all the while pushing him gently so that eventually he was lying on the bench, still without his shirt and his lower half covered by the black tights which left little to the imagination. Yury was all in white, top and bottom, his sexual organs clearly marked as they responded slowly to Ryan’s proximity. There was no denying the fact that he was slowly getting harder with each moment that passed.

Yury straddled Ryan, sitting on his lap, his balls perfectly aligned with Ryan’s and when he bent forward to begin the massage, Ryan could feel Yury’s erection pressing tightly against him and much to his horror, he started to get hard. He was shocked and devastated by this reaction because he had never considered the possibility that he was attracted to men in any way, shape or form. He knew that most dancers were either gay or bisexual but he’d never once been attracted to anyone of the same sex.

Of course, he was eighteen and healthy and anything rubbed up against him would cause a reaction, something he didn’t take into account. Yury of course was taking full advantage of the situation, relishing the feel of Ryan’s erection, continuing with the massage, moving his groin back and forth, in slow easy movements, getting off on the delicious hardness underneath him.

Ryan pushed away suddenly and he stood up and backed away from Yury. “I’m not gay, Yury. I think you’ve made a mistake,” he said haltingly, not wanting to offend him, yet very uncomfortable with the whole situation.

Yury sat up and slid his hand under the elastic of his tights, massaging himself slowly, all the while enjoying Ryan’s reaction as he watched. “Are you sure you’re not gay?” he asked, noting with some satisfaction that the blood rushed to Ryan’s face, turning his cheeks pink with embarrassment. Ryan couldn’t help but stare in horrified fascination as Yury pulled his erect cock out in plain sight and started to pump it steadily. The moans escaped out of Yury’s mouth as he continued to minister to himself, swiftly bringing about the orgasm that shot his cum in hot spurts inches away from where Ryan stood. He stepped back quickly to avoid the spray and he quickly spun around and exited the room to the sound of Yury laughing in the background.

He ran straight into Sorina who had been waiting for him at the door.

“Why aren’t you dressed yet?” she asked, knitting her eyebrows.

“I got…side-tracked,” Ryan stammered out.

“How?”

“Doesn’t matter. Let’s just go.”

“You don’t have a shirt on, Ryan.”

“I have a jacket,” he said, hurriedly pulling on his black hoodie that was hanging on the coat rack beside the front door.

“Come on,” he said, grabbing Sorina’s hand and pulling her down the stairs, never once stopping to look behind.

“Ryan, slow down,” she called, “I can barely keep up with you.”

He turned and waited for her to catch up. “Sorry, I just had to get out of there as quickly as possible.”

“Why?”

“Never mind.”

She pulled him, stopping him in his tracks. “Tell me!”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s Yury, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“What did the bastard do?”

“It doesn’t matter, Sorina. I can handle it.”

“The fucker tried to jump your bones, didn’t he?” she asked, her blue eyes sparkling with angry tears.

“Yeah.”

“Fucking asshole!”

“Whoa, slow down, baby. Nothing happened.”

“Not this time!”

“Hey, come on, let’s go have a bite to eat. It’s okay, really,” he said, putting his arm on her shoulder and moving off towards their favorite pizza joint.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, Brian was at his desk at Kinnetik when his computer beeped with a message , ‘Incoming call from Sorina Cherney’.

He clicked on the icon which opened up the web-cam, connecting to his daughter.

He saw that she was alone, her beautiful face awash in tears. “Dad!”

“Hey, Princess.” The concern sweeping over him like a wave. “What’s with the tears?”

“You have to help us,” she wailed.

“What’s the matter?”

“He’s back!”

“Who?”

“That Russian piece-of-shit!”

“Yury whats-his-name?”

“The one and only.”

“What’s he doing now?” Brian asked, scowling into the computer. He remembered all the havoc that man had stirred up the last time he was around. He poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher on his desk and took a huge gulp.

“He’s making a play for Ryan!”

“That mother-fucker,” Brian said under breath.

“Come and kick his ass, Dad!”

“What’s he doing in New York?”

“He flew in with two other members of the RRB. They’re supposed to give us moral support and help with some of the numbers.”

“I see…I don’t think I should get involved, princess.”

“Why?” Sorina asked, shocked that he was refusing.

“Because this is your career, and Ryan’s as well. This is business! You need to try and handle this on your own,” Brian said quietly, torn with wanting to help but knowing he was doing the right thing by refusing. Yury was very influential in the world of ballet and it would only make matters worse if he showed up.

“What if he seduces Ryan? Or coerces him?” Sorina wailed even louder, wiping her eyes and reaching for a Kleenex to blow her nose. “Dad, he wants my boyfriend!”

“You’re going to have to fight for him, Princess. This isn’t something I can take care of. It wouldn’t be right.”

“Why can’t you fix this?”

“Sorina…I can’t fix everything.”

“Yes you can!” she wailed even louder. “What should I do?”

“First things first. Calm down and get a hold of yourself. Has Yury actually done anything?”

“Yes, but I don’t exactly know what he did. Ryan won’t tell me.”

Brian wondered about that. Why wouldn’t Ryan tell her what he did, unless he was attracted somehow or he felt she might go ballistic, which she was doing anyhow? God, these Taylors would be the death of him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Justin had told him once that having kids was a roller-coaster ride, with peaks and valleys. Well, they were definitely in the valley of the dulls right now. Having goldfish would have been a lot easier…He sat up and opened his eyes and looked straight at Sorina, who’d stopped crying and appeared calmer.

“I’m sure you’ll think of something, princess. You can tell us all about it when your Daddy and I fly in for opening night.”

“That’s almost two weeks away!” she said indignantly. “I’m not waiting that long. You are going to hear from me at least every other day.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Brian answered with a patient sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justin was lying in the king size bed in their bedroom at Britin.

He was exhausted from all the mental strain of worrying about Sasha. Now that he finally knew the truth, he felt worse, instead of better. He and Brian had barely talked about their individual investigations so he presumed that tonight would be all about what they’d each found out.

Brian walked into the bedroom with a towel in his hand, rubbing at his hair which was still moist from the shower. He had a pair of sweat pants on and he looked at Justin who had his eyes closed.

“Hey, are you asleep already?”

“Are you kidding? I’ll be lucky if I can even get to sleep, what with all this fucking drama. I may have to resort to sleeping pills.”

“Oh, don’t do that,” Brian said, getting into bed with him. “I have ways of guaranteeing a good night’s rest. But first, let’s talk. Sit up!”

“Why?”

“I went to see Mark the other day.”

“You didn’t!”

“I did…he seems quite normal, considering he’s Claire’s son.”

“What’s he like?”

“Breeder.”

“Duh…I already know that part.”

“He looks very much like me.”

“So then he must look like Gus too?”

“Could be his twin, but for the blue eyes.”

“So that’s where the attraction was.”

“He’s hot, no denying that.”

“What’s he like?”

“He’s got a good sense of humor and he’s not a homophobe like his mother.”

“Well, that’s a plus. What else?”

“He doesn’t say much.”

“Did he ask about Sasha?”

“Only in passing…I’m afraid she didn’t make too much of an impression.”

“Or maybe he’s a very good actor.”

“Possible. I’ll know more next week.”

“How?”

“I asked him to play racquetball.”

“Brian, you have to be very careful. If Sasha finds out what you’re up to, she’ll be pissed as hell and possibly do something stupid.”

“She’s already done something stupid,” Brian said seriously. “I can’t believe what a fucking mess this is. How the hell is this going to end? No matter how you shake it or play it, someone is going to get hurt. And it better not be Gus!”

“But it’s okay for Sasha to spend her entire life being known as her child’s aunt?”

“This was her choice, Justin! She decided all of this, made Gus the father without even considering his feelings. He and Aedan love Taylor. They would be heart broken if she were to take him back.”

“I don’t think she wants to.”

“Yet!”

“No, she seems very satisfied that Gus is raising him.”

“It’s only been a few months. She may have a change of heart.”

“I don’t think so…however, I’m worried about her mental state.”

“She’s been through a shock. She’ll move on…people do.”

“Oh really?” Justin said, raising an eyebrow. “When was the last time you gave your child up for adoption?”

“Don’t be pissed.”

“You being very nonchalant about this, that’s what’s pissing me off.”

“I’m only protecting our son!”

“What about our daughter and our fucking grandchild! What about them?”

“Our grandson is just fine! Sasha will just have to learn how to live with her decision. She made her bed and she should just lie in it!”

“God, you sound like my fucking father.”

“That _was_ a stupid thing to say,” Brian said, sheepishly.

“Brian, look…I know this is a mess. I’m well aware that Sasha screwed this up royally; but you don’t realize what she’s been through, mentally and physically. She may never recover from this! Obviously, you don’t give a rat’s ass, because it’s not Sorina.”

“That was below the belt, Justin.”

“It’s true though, isn’t it?” Justin asked, his eyes getting all moist again. He swiped the tears away angrily, irritated by his inability to keep his emotions in check. It seemed as if he’d been crying non-stop for days, tonight’s argument a culmination of weeks of anxiety.

“If it were so fucking true than why do you think I went to see Mark?” Brian got off the bed and started pacing. “I want to try and get to know him better, to make some sense of this and who knows, maybe try and get the two of them back together!”

“Oh.”

“Nonchalant, my ass!” Brian muttered under his breath.

“Sorry,” Justin said softly. He got off the bed and walked over to Brian and threw his arms around his neck.

“Never underestimate me, Sunshine. After thirty-something years you should know better!”

Justin clung to him, pressing tightly against Brian and he said, “I’m sorry…I love you so much.”

“I know you do…but you’re such a shit sometimes. I think you deserve a good spanking.”

Justin stepped back and looked up at Brian to see if he was serious. “Really?” he said with a shy smile.

“Yeah, really,” Brian said, lowering his voice an octave, a sure sign that he was starting to get horny.

“Are you going to use your hand or something else?” Justin asked, his breath quickening as the thought of what was about to happen.

Brian pulled Justin up to him and stared into the blue eyes. “You’re getting decidedly kinky in your old age. Care to elaborate?”

Justin felt the blood rushing to his face, even as his cock started to respond to Brian’s closeness. “I’ve been doing some research.”

“On?”

“It started with a project I’ve been working on for a while now. It’s a series of panels that I’ve been commissioned to do for a club that’s about to open in a few months.”

“What club?”

“It’s a high end, BDSM club. All chains and whips and leather. It’s called ‘Tumescence’.”

“I’m surprised you want your art in a place like that. Can they even afford you?”

“The owner saw my pieces at MoMA and is willing to pay me half a mil for the lot. The plans for the club are very state-of-art and very tasteful.”

“No shit! This place must have a clientele that reeks money. Who knew there were so many millionaires into pain?”

“Apparently. It’s very exclusive. Members only and each membership costs seventy-five grand.”

Brian whistled and said, “So this is why our DVD repertoire has been changing. I know you like your light kink, Sunshine, but I never thought you’d get into that heavy stuff.”

“I’m not; at least I don’t think I am, although there are some things that seem to appeal to my darker side,” Justin said with a slight grin on his face.

“Are you finally getting bored with me?” Brian asked, waiting to hear the words he’d been dreading for years. He knew he’d get an honest answer. He just didn’t know if he was prepared to hear it.

“I’m never bored with you, Brian. I’m just curious.”

“You know what they say about curiosity and dead cats.”

“The big cat I know has nine lives,” Justin said, licking his lips and moving forward. “I’m pretty sure he can take care of himself, and his kinky partner as well.”

“I need to fuck your sick brains out right now.”

“God, I thought you’d never ask.”

 

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

****Mark sat across from Brian as they waited for breakfast to be served. They were in the dinning room of Brian’s health club, resting after another grueling game of racquetball. Both men had already showered and changed into work clothes and anyone watching them would think they were seeing double. Mark could have been Brian’s twin, if not for the darker hair and blue eyes.

“You’re pretty good out on the courts,” Brian said,

“Not good enough! I can’t believe I got beat by a sixty-year-old.”

“Age is only a number.”

“How do you do it?”

“What?” Brian asked, raising an eyebrow.

“How can you be so active at your age?”

“Christ! You make it sound like I’ve got a foot in the fucking grave!”

“Aw, come on…you know what I mean.” It was the second time in a week that they’d played and Mark was beginning to realize what a huge disservice his mother had done by not introducing him to his uncle. Brian was proving to be much more than Mark ever bargained for.

“Are you a vegan or do you sleep in one of those weirdo, anti-aging chambers like the nut-case in California?”

“Which nut case are you referring to? The entire state is crawling with them.”

Mark laughed, seeing the twinkle in Brian’s eye and the smirk on his face. It would have been so much fun growing up around this man, instead of the family he did have. Brian’s wicked sense of humor was very much in sync with his.

He’d researched Brian shortly after their first encounter and learned that he was a huge success, obviously very involved in his business. His reputation was impeccable; Kinnetik was one of the top ten advertising agencies in the country, with a branch in New York City. He probably could have retired with the obscene amounts of money he’d amassed but he was obviously having way too much fun being in the thick of things. Mark supposed that this is what kept Brian so young and vital.

The fact that he was gay never even penetrated Mark’s consciousness. The only time it had ever come up was on that first day when Brian mentioned it.

“So what’s your partner like? Is he as old as you?”

“No, I robbed the cradle,” Brian said, smiling as he thought of Justin.

“How old is he?”

“Forty-seven.”

“Thirteen years is a pretty big gap, don’t you think?”

“It’s a twelve-year age difference and it’s never been a problem.”

“Oh.” Tonight, Mark was going to have dinner with Brian and his partner, Sasha’s biological dad. He was apprehensive for some reason, even though he knew it was impossible that either one of these men were aware of their history.

His affair with Sasha was one of the biggest regrets of his life. Not because he’d had it, but because she’d ended it. In retrospect, he really couldn’t blame her. He had acted like a jerk, forcing her to have an abortion, shocking her with his seeming cruelty and insensitivity. The pain of their separation was something that he carried around like a chronic ulcer, deep inside him where no one could reach it or fix it but there it lay, festering, making its appearance late at night when he lay in bed, lonely, craving her presence. Not so much her body, which had turned out to be sensational, but more importantly, her fine mind.

He missed their conversations; he missed watching her draw, missed seeing the amazing designs flowing from her hand like magic onto the paper. She was supremely talented and a beautiful young woman that he longed for on a daily basis. He had never been affected by anyone like this. Women had come and gone in his life but no one had ever left an impression the way she had. He knew that he’d fucked the whole thing up, but he had no way of knowing that she would be so rigid in her beliefs. Her rejection of him had been cold and complete. She had not taken a single one of his forty-nine calls. He’d kept a record of every time he’d made an attempt to call and when he reached forty-nine, he stopped.

“Do you want me to send the limo for you tonight?” Brian asked him, interrupting his train of thought.

“No, I can find my way.”

“Suit yourself. You can always crash there if you’ve had too much to drink. We have about thirty rooms in the house,” Brian said, sipping his coffee, never taking his eyes off the newspaper.

“Thirty?”

“Something like that…it’s ridiculous actually. We only use half of the house. The rest of it is used during holidays when everyone comes home.”

“Who’s everyone?” Mark asked. He didn’t know much about Brian’s side of the family. Claire had only mentioned that he was gay and therefore Satan’s messenger. Beyond that, she’d never mentioned his name or given him any details about Brian or his partner. Mark knew about the Cherny connection, because of Sasha, but nothing else about the rest of the family.

“Well the kids, their spouses and children, the mothers, you know.”

“No, actually, I don’t know.”

“Your mother told you nothing about me? Do you even know you have a cousin named Gus?”

“I thought you were gay?”

“Christ…you’re going to need a pen and paper to get this down right,” Brian chuckled. “It’s kind of complicated.”

“I don’t have to be at work for another two hours or so,” Mark said. “Enlighten me.”

So Brian told him about Mel and Lindsay and how Gus came to be. He was surprised that Mark knew nothing about Gus, thinking all along that Sasha had gone over the family tree with him, but apparently she was as tight lipped with her lover as she was with everyone else.

After Brian finished recounting the events that made up the Kinney/Taylor/Peterson/Marcus/Novotny/Bruckner/Cherny/Hughes/  
Lehigh clan, Mark looked completely overwhelmed.

“Jesus Christ! You guys are like a birth control experiment gone mad.”

“Hey! I resent that! We made do with all the body parts that God gave us and came up with the perfect extended family. Don’t knock it till you try it.”

“I’m sure it works fine for you guys…I just can’t imagine having kids that way.”

“Can you imagine having kids at all?” Brian asked, pouncing on him and waiting for the answer.

“Some day,” Mark said. Brian noticed the shift in his voice and the haunted look creeping into the dark blue eyes. “I didn’t exactly have the greatest role models on parenting.”

“Claire wasn’t a bad mother, at least not while she lived here. Of course, your brother John is a hopeless case. He could have had Mother Theresa as a parent and he’d still be a piece of shit!”

“Hey, let’s not hold back, Brian. Tell me exactly how you feel about him.”

“It’s true, isn’t it? Did he change? Has age improved him at all?”

“I don’t know what he was like out here but he’s been in jail for aggravated assault and domestic abuse.”

“What’d I tell you. The kid had issues.”

“Definite anger management problems, which he took out on everyone,” Mark said quietly.

Brian noticed the shimmer of tears that Mark was trying very hard to control. He reached out and took Mark’s hand in his and squeezed gently.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to open up a can of worms.”

“It’s okay…I keep telling myself I’m over it, but apparently I’m not.”

“What did he do to you?”

“Beat me and Peter on a regular basis.”

“Why?”

“Because he could. I was handy and Mom was going blind. She had her own problems to deal with, besides she never would have accepted that John was anything less than her perfect angel. Peter was the smart one. He left home when he turned seventeen and didn’t come back to San Diego until he was in his mid-twenties.”

“Where did he go?”

“Signed onto a fishing fleet and roamed the world. He married a great lady from Guatemala and they have two beautiful daughters.”

“What about your father? Couldn’t he do anything about John?”

“John is a great actor.”

“And a lying sack of shit!” Brian threw in.

“That too. My Dad never knew what was going on and the one time I hinted that there was any kind of problem; he made me promise not to say anything to Mom because they were dealing with her health issues. So I just shut up and tried to avoid John.”

“When did he go to jail?”

“When I was sixteen he married some bimbo he’d met at a bar. She turned out to be a big loser and he caught her cheating on him. He beat her within an inch of her life and she pressed charges.”

“It’s too bad they couldn’t lock him up forever.”

“No, he was out in a few months and more vicious than ever. He never talked about what happened in prison but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a good experience for him.”

“I can only imagine.”

“Yeah, well he moved back in and of course Mom was thrilled to have her baby back and my Dad just turned the other way.”

“And let him take out his anger on you?” Brian was infuriated. It was bad enough that his own childhood was a nightmare, but to see the Kinney tradition carried on so viciously was making him want to fly out to San Diego and throttle his nephew.

“I suppose he was a drunk as well.”

“Oh yeah, that was all part of it.”

“Fuck!”

“Hey, it’s okay. I’ve moved on.”

“Have you? Then how come you’re not married yet? Do you even have a girlfriend?”

“I guess I haven’t met the right girl yet,” Mark replied, his words sounding as lame as hell.

“Well, I don’t want you to end up like me at your age.”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s another story, for another day,” Brian said, looking at his nephew with a whole new perspective. “Come on, Marky, time for work.” And they got up and Brian threw his arm around Mark’s shoulders as they made their way out of the building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ryan?”

“Yeah, Babe?”

“Do you want to marry me?”

“Of course I do, why?”

“You’ve never asked.”

“I ask you all the time-what are you talking about?”

“I mean formally. You’ve never really asked me to marry you and make the commitment, with the ring and the whole bit.”

They were walking in Central Park, taking a break from the cooped up confines of the dance studio. They were a couple of weeks away from their debut and they needed to just get away on their own and try and calm down. The atmosphere in the studio was frenzied and everyone seemed to be vibrating in place. It was getting on Sorina’s nerves and she needed to escape for an hour or so, just to get her equilibrium back.

New York was enjoying unseasonably warm weather so they were dressed in light jackets, enjoying the sun and the fresh air for the first time in months.

Ryan pulled Sorina’s hand and stopped her from moving forward. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her blond curls, holding her tightly. “I made my commitment to you the minute I first set eyes on you.”

“How do you know this is it? That you and I are meant to be lifetime partners?”

“I suppose nothing is guaranteed…people aren’t like appliances that come with a warranty.”

“So how do we know then?” She looked up at the dove gray eyes questioningly. For all her world travels and her learned parents, Sorina was an innocent in many ways. She still believed in happy endings and cried on cue. This emotional vulnerability was probably why she stood out from the other dancers. The audience became engaged from the moment she walked on the stage. There was a fragility about her, tempered by her superb technical skills that made her hard to resist. “Tell me, Ryan? How do you know I’m it?”

“The thought of a lifetime without you hurts more than the fear of the unknown.”

“That was beautiful.”

“I mean it, babe.”

Her face was pressed against his chest and she could hear his heart beating steadily through the cloth. She had come to know this man better than anyone else in her life. They were thrown together months ago and as each day went by the thought of a life without Ryan was not to be borne. She couldn’t imagine being with any other man, so if this was love and a sign that they were meant to be together then so be it.

“Can we formalize this?”

“Babe, I don’t have the money to buy you a diamond…at least not one you deserve.”

“I don’t care about that…buy any old ring, hell; get one out of a vending machine.”

“You deserve the best, Sorina, and until I can buy you exactly what I want, I’m not giving you a ring.”

“Oh.” Her disappointment was obvious and Ryan picked up on it immediately. He lifted her chin and brushed her lips with his. “I promise you that you will have the perfect ring as soon as I get my first paycheck, now, tell me where is this conversation leading?”

“I’m ready to take the final step.”

He pulled her tightly against him, his body reacting instantly to her words and she felt his arousal pressing against her and they both groaned at the same time. “I need for this to be special, Ryan. I want to have a night that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

“I’ll do the best I can, Sorina. It will be a night neither one of us will ever forget.”

“Ryan, I’m a little scared. I don’t want anything to change between us.”

“Nothing will change. We were meant to be together. No one will ever see my name without yours attached to it. We are going to be as famous as Fonteyn and Nureyev.”

“You think so?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll arrange the time and the place then?”

“I’ll take care of it.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Sunshine, you and I have crossed over to a parallel universe.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Justin asked, peering at Brian over his reading glasses.

“I’m talking about Mark and Sasha. It’s the Brian and Justin show all over again.”

“Have you had your Xanax today, dear?”

“Justin, I’m dead serious.”

“Alright…I’ll bite. Go ahead and tell me,” he said, putting his glasses down, giving Brian his full attention.

Brian recounted his conversation with Mark and waited.

“Unbelievable!”

“I told you. It’s eerily familiar, isn’t it?”

“So what are you saying?”

“Maybe that’s why Mark wouldn’t commit to Sasha.”

“Your oversimplifying, aren’t you?”

“Maybe, but it makes sense. The difference between me and Mark is that he’s not into booze or drugs or whoring around. It’s just so weird though…I see myself in him.”

“Well, God help her if that’s the case. She’s got years of heart ache ahead of her.”

“That bad, huh?”

“You know it was…we almost lost each other. We’re lucky that everything finally worked out.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it, Sunshine. You did.”

“Sasha is just like me.”

“In more ways than one,” Brian said. “It’s becoming more and more apparent.”

“She says she doesn’t love him anymore.”

“That’s what she says,” Brian said, “But is it actually what she feels?”

“She seemed pretty adamant about her decision to leave him.”

“That’s because she was hurt, but you know how that can change in a minute.”

“I know,” Justin said. He moved over to Brian’s side of the bed and said, “Hold me.”

Brian enveloped Justin in his arms and they lay quietly for a while until finally Justin said, “If we interfere, we run the risk of disrupting Gus and Aedan’s life. You do realize that, don’t you?”

“Of course I do-but isn’t it better to get this settled now, while Taylor is still an infant?”

“If Mark finds out that Taylor is his and that Sasha never had the abortion, don’t you think he’ll want to be a part of his life?”

“He may or may not. We won’t know that until we’re at that point.”

“And yet you want to try and get them back together?”

“I want to do what’s right. I know that Sasha is miserable right now, and Mark doesn’t seem very happy either. I hate to see them in this place. Gus and Aedan have each other. That’s a huge thing in and of itself.”

“Is it wise to interfere?”

“Maybe I’m feeling guilty because I let her down.”

“I’m sure that’s a part of it, but you seem to really like Mark. Are you changing your opinion of him?”

“I don’t know him well enough to have an opinion. The little bit of insight I got this morning tells me there’s much more to him than he’s willing to share right now. I just feel that there’s a reason he’s come into our lives. Some Karma thing, you know?”

“I knew all my preaching would finally soak in.”

“After years of listening to you spout Buddha’s wisdom, what do you think?”

“I think you’ve become an old softie.”

“Don’t use the word soft and my name in the same sentence.”

Justin grinned at him and rolled over, resting his entire length on Brian. He bent down and rubbed his face on Brian’s prickly beard, moving towards his mouth, running his tongue gently over each swell and groove until Brian opened for him.

Brian sighed softly, reached up to comb his fingers through Justin’s hair, smoothing the wild locks away from his forehead. “Mark asked if our age difference was ever a problem.”

“Never,” Justin replied, continuing to nibble at Brian who had closed his eyes. “Did you assure him that Kinney men could keep up with anyone half their age?”

“Liar!”

“I’m not lying…of course it helps if you’re married to the hottest guy in the world.”

Brian huffed out a laugh. “And the biggest cock-whore.”

“Did you tell him that I love _your_ cock?” Justin whispered, moving away from Brian’s mouth and snaking his way down Brian’s torso until he got to his waist and he hooked his fingers under the elastic of Brian’s pants and pulled slowly. “Did you tell him that my favorite past time is blowing you?”

“Justin,” Brian’s hands clutched at the long hair that swept across his stomach, raising goose bumps all over him. He moaned and lifted his hips off the bed, helping Justin with his pants all the while holding his breath until Justin bent down to engulf him in his warm mouth, sucking him in so deep he could feel the back of Justin’s throat as he swallowed and hummed. “God,” he groaned, lost in the moment as his partner feasted on him. Justin pulled away abruptly, reaching over to pull open the drawer of the nightstand and fish around for something. “Close your eyes,” he commanded Brian.

“Why?”

Justin bent down and kissed him hard, “Please.”

Brian closed his eyes and waited as Justin grabbed something and he felt cold silk covering his face. It was the black scarf he’d worn the other night. The one he’d let drop on the floor just before bed.

“How long have you been planning this, you kinky boy?”

Justin giggled and rubbed his hand on Brian’s cock, resurrecting him quickly. “Now, you can be very, very good and not touch that scarf or you can be bad and I’ll have to tie it around your head. Tick, tick, tick…time’s up-what’ll it be?”

Brian laughed out loud and said, “I’ll be good. Don’t tie it.”

He heard more noises, the all too familiar sound of a cap being flipped open, and the plop of the lube as Justin squeezed it onto his hand. He felt Justin’s hand wrapping itself around his cock which now laid heavy and thick, almost pulsing with need. Justin pumped Brian slowly, watching as his cock filled, the sight of it a major turn-on, causing his own erection to press rigidly against him. He decided to torture Brian even further and so he headed south towards the holy grail, the beautiful pucker waiting to be ravaged by his hot tongue and he heard Brian’s shocked breath as he began to lave the soft, pink skin close to Brian’s asshole, gently prodding, rewarded when Brian spread his legs apart, offering himself without hesitation. He continued to roll his tongue around, flicking the area and blowing, the touch of air on the wet skin heightening the sensation and he saw Brian’s cock twitch, heard him groan out and he knew he had him.

“Justin…good….”

Justin’s replied by lapping harder, laying his tongue flat and swiping the entire area in long, hot, strokes as the body underneath him trembled. He inserted one finger, and then two, teasing the area, moving the muscle around to loosen it. He shifted his attention to Brian’s balls, rolling them around his mouth expertly, and then moving up towards Brian’s weeping cock, never leaving his fingers from their intended target.

“So good, Sunshine…”

“Did you tell him that I love to hear you scream while I rim you?”

“Fuck…”

“Does Mark know that there’s nothing more exciting for me than hearing you beg?”

“Justin…” Brian growled at him, pushing his head back down and grunting when he felt the moist heat envelope him. “Open up,” Justin commanded, pushing Brian’s legs apart, abandoning his cock for the moment. He reached over to the nightstand again, and he pulled out the large glass dildo that had wicked ridges around it, guaranteed to drive anyone insane in less than two minutes, and he coated it with lube before he parted Brian’s cheeks to give him better access.

“God…I fucking love you,” Brian hissed out, feeling the push of the glass phallus as Justin expertly moved it into position, watching with satisfaction as his partner’s hands clenched around his arms, the head under the black scarf moving side-to-side, Brian’s heavy breaths causing the silk to flutter up and down. Soon the moans turned to whimpers as the dildo’s tip grazed Brian’s gland.

Brian was lost in the dark, his only reference point was the heat centered deep in his body, pushing out in waves as Justin continued his torture, each jab of the dildo reducing Brian to a quivering mess.

Justin felt Brian’s breathing shift as he came closer to orgasm and he knew he had to do something or it would be over too fast so he pulled the dildo out and tossed it across the bed, and he grabbed the lube again and spread it liberally on his erection, all the while, whispering to Brian, “Don’t come yet…don’t come.”

“Hurry!”

Justin lifted Brian’s legs onto his shoulders and he positioned himself, rubbing his slippery cock against Brian’s hole and he leaned down towards the shrouded form. “Say it for me, Brian,” the words coming out in a strangled breath as he felt himself losing control. He pushed against Brian, teasing past the rings and then pulling back abruptly.

Brian’s arms automatically wrapped themselves around Justin’s neck and he held on for dear life, groaning loudly when he heard the voice in his ear and the cock poised at the entrance.

“Fuck me,” Brian huffed.

“Beg me…”

“For God’s sake…Please…” Brian squeezed his thighs tightly around Justin’s waist, lifting to meet him. Justin thrust hard, slamming into Brian, mashing their hips together in an effort to get as deep as possible, the delicious combination of pain and pleasure a welcome relief. He rolled his hips around expertly, changing the angle of the penetration until he hit the spot that made Brian buck like a stallion, the guttural scream a beautiful sound.

“Do you want more?” Justin huffed out, his movements getting faster and faster, “Talk to me, Brian,” Justin begged, his golden hair spread all over the black scarf that still lay on Brian’s face. “Fuck …you’re so tight….so God damn beautiful.”

“Sunshine…”

“Got to have this…need you to beg me, say it…”

“I need…I want you…God…”

“Brian,” the word coming out in one desperate breath as Justin exploded into him.

There was a blinding moist heat and a loud grunt as Brian came, his ass gripping Justin’s cock in a throbbing vice. Justin felt the warm liquid covering his stomach as Brian released, his own ejaculation spurting out of him into Brian’s ass, and he held his breath and clenched his eyes tightly while the wave rushed through him.

Justin tore the scarf off of Brian’s face and he kissed him fiercely, ravaging him with his mouth, sucking on his lower lip so hard he drew a drop of blood. He stopped when he heard Brian moan loudly and he fell across Brian’s chest, boneless and spent, drawing in deep, labored breaths as he tried to regain some control of his body which was now covered with a light layer of sweat.

“God, you’re fucking unbelievable,” Brian said, struggling to catch a breath himself. “Such a hot, bossy bottom.”

“You fucking love it!”

“I do…love you, that is…”

Justin smiled to himself and pressed his hand against Brian’s face.

 

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

It had been three weeks since the fateful night when Gus had asked Sasha to baby-sit. Since then, she’d seen Taylor several more times, at Gus’ insistence.

“You did such a great job with him Sash. This will give Aedan and me a chance to get out occasionally. We’ve been holed up like hermits, because Dane doesn’t work nights.”

“I can only do this once a week, Gus. But I need more notice than one hour.”

“Of course, I realize that. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing the last time.”

Sasha had consented to give them a ‘date night’ each week, so they could keep their romance alive and go out on the town, without having to worry about babies and diapers.

Now that she was seeing Taylor on a regular basis, she was captivated by her child. The once-a-week babysitting afforded her a ring-side view into his daily life and she looked forward to Wednesdays with an eagerness that bordered on the obsessive.

Taylor was also getting to know her better and he always greeted her with that cute little smile that made his eyes crinkle up, the way Mark’s did whenever he was amused. In fact, being around Taylor only served to remind her of how much she missed Mark Bauer.

She tried not to see Mark in the child but she couldn’t help it when the sparkling blue eyes looked up at her. They were the eyes of the man who still haunted her dreams, even though she professed to want to have nothing to do with him.

She had fallen for Mark almost immediately, initially drawn to him because he reminded her of Gus. They were built the same, and apart from the blue eyes, the Kinney smile and coloring jumped right out at you, making him hard to resist. By day three of their relationship she was madly and irrevocably in love. Mentally though, Gus and Mark were light years apart. She discovered that a little too late.

She had ignored every one of Mark’s phone calls, shortly after they had parted ways, not wanting him to know that she had gone against his wishes and remained pregnant. She felt that he didn’t deserve to have any part in the baby’s life, since he didn’t want him in the first place. All the years of listening to Justin talking about Buddhism and Karma must have made a huge impression because she could not bring herself to abort the child. She knew in her heart that she would rather live with the pain of seeing her baby raised by someone else, instead of a lifetime of regret over an abortion she didn’t believe in.

She loved Gus in a quiet and determined way. He had always been her idea of the perfect man. He was brave, kind, intelligent and above all, a good and thoughtful person. The thought of him raising her son was enough to give her the comfort she needed to sustain her loss. She knew that Gus and Aedan would make good parents, provide a better future for Taylor, nourish and comfort him in ways she was incapable of doing right now. She didn’t feel like a good role model for anyone, let alone a child who was so innocent and susceptible. She felt like a factory reject, obviously unlovable, as Mark had proven by his refusal to make any commitment to her. Why would she want a child raised by someone incapable of sustaining any kind of relationship? She reasoned that two men who were established in their careers and their home life would be a much better choice than a single mother who obviously had emotional issues.

It had now been fifteen months since she and Mark were last together. At the time of their breakup, she was pretty sure that she would be able to get past the relationship and move on. What she hadn’t counted on was the depth of her emotions. Previous to Mark the only people she truly loved and had any feelings for were her family.

She couldn’t get Mark out of her head. No matter how hard she tried, and how disciplined she thought she was, she couldn’t push him out of her heart. The memories of their love making and the moments they shared together kept on intruding into her consciousness at different times of the day or night. She kept seeing his face at every turn, searching every brunette that would pass her in the street. She remembered how his eyes would burn into her, minutes before orgasm, how excited he would get when she’d walk through the front door, how his voice would shift when he’d call her his beauty, how the words ‘I love you’ came so easily.

Being thrown into the same space with Taylor had only served to remind her of what she was missing. He was so much like Mark, in appearance and mannerism. If her family knew Mark, they would pick up on it immediately, but thankfully, no one knew he existed. Well, no one but her two Dads and they’d sworn an oath to keep this a secret.

All these thoughts and feelings were driving her crazy. It was better months ago when she felt nothing. It was preferable to this. Being dead inside was a good thing when the only thing that could rejuvenate her was miles away, physically and mentally. She had no illusions that she and Mark would ever get back together. She was convinced that romance was something that Kodak and Hallmark dreamed up and she wanted to put that part of her life away. Maybe, when it didn’t hurt too much, she’d venture out into the dating world. Right now, all she could focus on was trying to get through the next few years, without giving away the facts and hurting Taylor in the process. He was a beautiful baby and her love for him was all encompassing. He became her reason for existing.

The problem was she was starting to see her role in Taylor’s life differently. She wanted to be more a part of it. She didn’t know how she could be more involved without coming clean and laying her soul bare for everyone to see and pity. They would look at her sadly and see the young girl that didn’t measure up. She obviously didn’t have it in her to keep her man. She was the one who always came up second best, and this time, not even that. He’d passed on her completely, choosing freedom instead.

If she were a stranger to Daphne, she would have benefited from several sessions on the psychiatric couch, delving into her confused brain. However, her mother wasn’t an option. Sasha couldn’t bring herself to confide in her. She couldn’t bear the thought of seeing the disappointment in her parents’ eyes when they learned that their brilliant daughter had become another statistic, the unwed mother that was to be pitied and looked upon as a victim.

Her independence and confidence in her mental abilities had become so much a part of her persona. She was the one who had never shown one moment of weakness, the sister who had always known what to do. She may not have been the one who turned heads but she was always the one that had the answers, the one people looked up to and respected and confessing to her ultimate act of stupidity would not only place her in the victim category, it would cause a radical shift in everyone’s perception of her.

The long and the short of it was that Sasha was in the midst of a post-partum depression that was strangling her and she needed help desperately. _Don’t hate me,_ Sasha thought to herself as she picked up Taylor and set him in his high chair. Every minute she spent with him, she thought the same thing. One day he would learn the truth and hate her for abandoning him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryan’s state of mind could only be described as ‘hormonal overload’.

Ever since Sorina had confessed that she was ready to take their relationship to the next level, he could think of nothing else. He would lie in bed and fantasize for hours, imagining the perfect scenario for their ultimate commitment. He’d pounded the pavement of Manhattan, to and from the studio, trying to decide which hotel would be able to give them the perfect night.

Finally, he settled on the Peninsula, an outrageous expense but so worth it for all the benefits. He knew that Sorina was only used to the best and he couldn’t imagine her in a seedy hotel with dusty, gold, velvet drapes and a sagging mattress that had seen better days. The thought of her face walking into such a room made him cringe.

He wanted everything to be perfect, including the ring that he had determined to buy. He’d made a phone call last night to his parents and had asked if he could borrow the money. They were reluctant at first, but when they found out who the ring was for, they acquiesced. Having met Sorina on several occasions, they knew what a lovely and talented girl she was, and they were pleased that Ryan had the good fortune to have her in his life.

He turned the corner of 55th at Fifth Avenue and walked into the lobby of the Peninsula. He went up to the front desk and made reservations for one night, the Sunday after the debut which was scheduled for a Friday night. He hoped that Sorina would be able to find a way to escape from her family and he figured that it would be the perfect weekend since they had Monday off.

When the lady at the front desk told him what the entire package would cost, he almost threw up his lunch. Included in the $900.00 was a Premium room with a view, complimentary champagne and flowers, a continental breakfast for two, a one-hour carriage ride around Central Park and free unlimited access to phones, wireless internet services and the in-room bar and refrigerator. He pulled his credit card out of his wallet, determined to do this right, and he winced when the lady took it, knowing this would max it out.

_The high cost of loving,_ he thought to himself, smiling as he envisioned Sorina walking through the door of the suite. She was more than worth it.

On his way out the door, he scrolled through his phone and was pleased to find the number he was looking for. He hit send, hoping she’d answer.

“Hey, Ryan. What’s up?”

“Sasha, hi there…I was wondering if you could possibly help me?”

“With what?”

“I’d like to buy a ring for Sorina and I have no idea where to start.”

“What kind of ring?”

“An engagement ring.”

“Does she know?”

“No.”

“Do you want a diamond?”

“Yes.”

“How much do you have to spend?”

“I can come up with five, tops.”

“Five thousand will get you something very nice. I have connections that will avoid all kinds of mark-up in retail.”

“Thank you so much, Sasha. When can we go and pick something out?”

“What shape of stone do you want?”

“Huh?”

“Christ! Knowing my sister, she’ll want something romantic like a heart-shaped diamond.”

“That sounds really nice,” Ryan said.

“Okay. I’ll start working on it. How soon do you need this?”

“Couple weeks?”

“Hey, that’s not enough time!”

“Please, I have to have it.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Sasha said, cutting him off abruptly.

Ryan thought again how different the two sisters were. Where one was open and light-hearted, the other was dark and introspective. Sasha seemed driven and she scared him a little bit. She also seemed untouchable in many ways, cold and calculating and he had a hard time understanding how Sorina could be so openly affectionate while the other sister was aloof and guarded. They were both raised in the same environment, yet they were as different as night and day. Sasha knew her jewelry though and he expected her to come up with the perfect ring for Sorina. He couldn’t wait to see her expression when she opened the box.

He headed towards the subway entrance and walked down the long flight of stairs, waiting for the train to take him back to the studio. He plugged in his ipod and zoned out, listening to vintage rock. The ballet world was all about classical music so every chance he could get to listen to rock, he’d take it. He was partial to Metallica and Pink Floyd, but he could really listen to just about anything, expect for Janis Joplin. Something about her just turned him off.

When he got to the studio, he went straight to the men’s dressing room and started to peel off his clothes in front of his locker. He was getting ready to pull on his black tights and a t-shirt when Yury walked in. His eyes lit up like Broadway lights, as soon as he saw Ryan standing in his black thong.

Yury’s eyes traveled up and down the magnificent body in front of him and he all but drooled, especially when he set his sights on the heavy pouch in between Ryan’s legs.

“Oh, _mon ange_ , you are affecting me so.”

_Oh, please..._

Yury moved up to where Ryan was standing and he got way too close for comfort, causing Ryan to step back until he bumped into the locker and could move no further. He grabbed Ryan by the neck and brought him forward, kissing him roughly while Ryan struggled to move away. Finally, Ryan broke free and said, “Stop it! I told you, I’m not gay!”

“But I must have you.”

“Back the fuck off, will you?”

“Let me see you, touch you, just one time,” Yury whispered, moving his hands all over Ryan, down his chest and past his stomach, resting lightly on his package.

Ryan twisted away and grabbed his clothes and crossed over to the door of the dressing room. He spun around and said, “Don’t follow me!”

“You are making a big mistake,” Yury snarled, looking at him with eyes that had gone ice cold. “I can ruin you, just as easily as I can make you a star.”

“Fuck you!” Ryan threw out and practically ran out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“The family resemblance is uncanny,” Justin said as he looked at Mark who sat across from him at the dinner table.

Mark looked over at Brian and said, “I guess we do look a little bit alike.”

“More than a little bit,” Justin said, continuing to stare at Mark.

“My mother would have a fit if she knew I was here.”

“Why?” Justin asked, leaning forward. “Don’t tell me she still thinks we’re deviants?”

“She hasn’t changed much in thirty years.”

“That’s pathetic,” Justin threw out. “How do you feel about homosexuals?”

“I don’t feel anything, one way or the other. You’re just people, as far as I’m concerned.”

“How refreshing,” Justin said, looking at him coldly. He could not forgive Mark for what he’d done to Sasha, and so he was treating him like an enemy, rather than a new guest.

Brian was watching the whole exchange with mixed emotions. He understood why Justin was behaving like an ass, he just didn’t like it. Brian knew there were two sides to this story and he was willing to give Mark the benefit of the doubt, but Justin, in his usual black and white fashion, was having none of it. Mark was guilty until otherwise proven innocent.

“So, tell me a little bit about yourself, Mark. Are you interested in something other than women?”

“Justin,” Brian said quietly, looking at his partner with disapproval.

Justin ignored him and proceeded. “What makes you tick?”

Mark stared at Sasha’s father and swore that he must know what happened between them. Why else would he be acting this way? He could see where Sasha got her looks and her biting tongue. He’d also heard that Justin Taylor was an amazing artist so he decided to try and win him over that way.

“I enjoy art and cinema. I also like bike riding and camping.”

“My, aren’t we well-rounded. What kind of art do you like?” Justin probed, not wanting to let him off the hook. “The kind you buy at the mall? Don’t tell me,” Justin said, leaning forward and whispering malevolently, “You have a Thomas Kincaid hanging over your fireplace.”

“Justin!”

Justin glared at Brian and then turned back towards Mark.

“Noooo,” Mark said, drawing out the word. “I like the surrealists very much. I have a serigraph by Dali over my fireplace.”

“Oh? Which one?”

“Honey is Sweeter Than Blood.”

“I know it-one of the naked wife pictures.”

“Yes.”

“Why? If its naked women you want, why not go for an O’Keefe? It’s abounding with vagina symbolism. Wouldn’t that be more to your taste?”

“Christ, Sunshine!”

“What, Brian? I just want to know why Mark likes Dali?”

“There’s just something about Dali that really intrigues me. The man was a genius and so diverse…I connected with him somehow.”

“You must be a little mad, then.”

“I suppose I am. At least that’s what my mother and brothers have called me.”

“When?”

“When I told them I’d rather teach than be a practicing engineer. Especially when I took this job in Pittsburgh. They were convinced I’d gone off my rocker.”

“Why did you move out here? Why leave the golden state? Most people would kill to live in California.”

“I wanted to get as far away from my family as possible. I knew they’d never come here to visit me.”

“Why did you want to get away?” Justin asked, his tone of voice a shade less condescending.

“Let’s just say that I was afraid of the consequences if I stayed in close proximity with one family member.”

“Which one?” Justin asked and immediately said, “John?”

“How did you guess?”

“I knew him quite well.”

“So I heard.”

“From who?” Justin asked, very curious. Did Sasha or Brian mention it, or did John actually remember the part he played in the whole child-molestation incident?

“I don’t remember,” Mark said, looking at Justin. The sadness in his eyes was quite apparent and the artist in Justin picked it up immediately.

“Would you like to see my studio after our meal?” Justin asked, shocking Brian. Justin’s studio was his very own private sanctuary and only a select few were allowed in it. He wondered what had induced Justin to invite Mark in.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

****“Gus?”

“Yeah, Sash?”

“Can I talk to you?”

“Sure thing, hon, what’s up?”

He was in his home office catching up on paper work, enjoying the free time that Sasha's babysitting afforded him.

“You know the apartment downstairs, the one you’d originally planned for me and Sorina to live in?”

“Yes…what about it?”

“I was wondering…?”

“What?”

“How would you feel if I moved in there?”

“Alone?”

“Of course.”

Gus pushed back from the desk, surprised by this request. He stared at his sister, trying to get a sense of her mood.

“Sasha, is everything okay?”

“Yes.”

“Then, why move? What about Ria?”

“I guess that’s part of it. I’m tired of sharing my space with her. She’s nice and all, but you know I like my privacy.”

“I know. Sometimes too much! Why aren’t you dating anyone?” Gus asked. She was a beautiful girl that seemed to have blossomed over night. There was a maturity about her that he’d never noticed before.

“I haven’t met anyone that I’m interested in. They’re all such dorks.”

“Oh, come on, Sasha. There’s got to be someone out there that might turn you on?”

“Not really. Most of my male classmates are either gay or bisexual, and I’m not into girls, so to answer your question, there is no one.”

“I suppose our house is a lot closer to Pratt than yours is.”

“That’s true, and you’d be able to get rid of Dane, if you wanted, with me living here.”

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want you to feel responsible for Taylor full-time. That wouldn’t be right.”

“I don’t mind,” she said quickly.

“No! Dane stays put. I’ll have to talk to Aedan first, before I can give you an answer on the move. Have you spoken to your parents about this?”

“No. I wanted to ask you first.”

“Let me think about it and talk it over with Aedan.”

“’Kay.”

Gus watched as she left the room and he sat back down on his chair, unable to get his mind back to what he was doing. He tried to figure out what Sasha was really up to, why she’d want to move in with him after all this time. Something was going on, but he couldn’t figure out what. He got up and made his way out of the room and took the stairs two-at-a-time, up to the third floor, where Sasha and Taylor were.

He opened the door and leaned up against the door jam, watching as Sasha held the baby, singing a lullaby that he remembered hearing as a child.

Taylor looked up at her as she crooned…his smile as beautiful and as iridescent as hers, and Gus noticed how much alike their smiles were and their skin coloring. He’d never seen that before.

“You look good holding him like that. He really likes you.”

She looked up in surprise, a blush creeping up her face and Gus was struck by how beautiful she was at that particular moment. She looked like a Madonna, holding her child and he had this strong urge to paint her portrait.

“Sasha, don’t move!” He ran out the room and down the stairs to get his camera. He was back in a minute and his sister was still standing in the middle of the room, holding the baby.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to take a picture, so that I can refer back to it when I’m painting.”

“Of me?”

“Of the both of you. I’m inspired all of a sudden.”

She laughed, the sound as refreshing as a cold drink. She seemed supremely happy whenever she was with the baby and Gus couldn’t help but wish that she’d meet somebody soon, so that she might have her own family some day. He hated to see her alone and sad.

Asking her to baby sit Taylor seemed to be working for both of them. She had taken a liking to the child and Taylor was nothing but smiles whenever she was around. He’d worried the first few times she’d come over, she seemed so upset and withdrawn, but as time went by she became more comfortable in her surroundings and lately she’d pop over after school, even on her non-babysitting days, just to play with Taylor for a short while, before she made her long trip home on the subway. Even Dane had remarked how good she was with the baby.

“Sasha?”

“What?”

“Have you ever been in love?” Gus asked. His half-sister was still somewhat of a mystery to him. They were so far apart in age, growing up in two different households. He was gone and away at college by the time she was in her formative years and so the little he knew of her was from what she shared via her weekly notes and later e-mails, and of course the numerous stories that his fathers had recounted.

“Why are you asking?”

“Just curious, I suppose. You’re as talkative as The Sphinx.”

“I feel like The Sphinx sometimes. And to answer your question, yes, I have been in love, but it’s over.”

“Was he someone from school?”

“No one you know, Gus.”

“Okay…well, I’ve got to get back to work.”

“Gus?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t forget to talk to Aedan, okay?”

“I won’t.”

“Thank you,” Sasha said, looking almost desperate. Gus caught that look and thought about it all the way down the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dad, have you told Daddy J about Yury yet?”

“No sweetheart…he has his hands full right now. I don’t think he can deal with much more,” Brian replied, looking at Sorina via the webcam. It was her second call this week, keeping him abreast of the Yury-Ryan drama.

“I bet he’d come out and kick his ass.”

“Exactly what I _don’t_ want to happen! It would be terrible for your career and Ryan’s. Isn’t there any way you can deal with him on your own?”

“But Dad…”

“Princess, you know we’d do anything to help you, but you can’t expect people to take you seriously if we continue to treat you like a child. You and Ryan are adults and Yury is an integral part of the ballet world. Is there any way I can speak with Ryan? Is he there?”

“No, but I can have him call you.”

“Do that…I’d like to speak with him about this, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Try not to let Yury bother you too much. He’s just being an asshole. If you and Ryan ignore him, maybe he’ll stop.”

“What should we do if he doesn’t?” she asked, finally realizing the truth to Brian’s words.

“Be creative…you Taylors are good at that!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Aedan let himself into the house, excited to see Gus and his son, after a long day of tedious paper work. His career was exciting, except for this part. He hated all the minutia involved in research and was grateful that he had an excellent assistant who took charge of the dreaded paperwork. Nonetheless, he still had to review and sign off on every sheet, so there was no escaping that part. He climbed the stairs eagerly, after depositing his brief case near the front door, only to be greeted by a sight that made him stop in his tracks.

Gus and Dane were deep in a conversation with Taylor on the floor in his carry-all in between them. Even from where he stood, Aedan could see Dane looking at Gus with more than child rearing on his mind. He was definitely admiring his employer, although Gus seemed oblivious to the meaningful looks Dane was throwing his way. Dane bent forward and said something in Gus’ ear and Aedan saw Gus laugh softly while Dane hit him lightly on his arm, his hand lingering a bit longer than it should. Aedan resisted the impulse to go up to Dane, haul him up off the floor and smash his pretty face in.

“Dane,” he said coldly, surprising them both with his unexpected presence, “I’d like a word with you.”

“Hey, Aed? When did you get home?” Gus asked, smiling happily as soon as he saw his partner.

“Just walked through the door,” Aedan replied stiffly.

Gus looked at him and raised an eye brow. “You okay?”

“I’m fine…I just need a moment with Dane.”

“Okay,” Gus replied, picking up the baby and moving over to his little swing on the other side of the room. Taylor broke into a big smile as soon as Gus put him in the chair and gave him a little push. “You like that buddy?”

He was rewarded with a slobbery giggle, thanks to the two front teeth which were cutting through his gums.

Dane followed Aedan into his study. He stood there in his tight t-shirt and his faded jeans; a young stud that reeked self-confidence.

“Do you like your job?” Aedan said seriously.

“Yes,” Dane answered, surprised by the question. “I love it.”

“Good, and we love having you here. You’re great with Taylor and I have nothing but respect for your skills as a baby sitter, however, if I ever see you touching Gus, or looking at him with anything but Taylor on your brain, I will fire you on the spot and black ball you with every agency in town.”

“I wasn’t cruising him,” Dane said heatedly.

“The fuck you weren’t!”

“Look, Aedan.”

“It’s Doctor Hughes, as far as you’re concerned.”

“Doctor Hughes,” Dane said, trying to keep his temper in check. “I wasn’t flirting with him, well, not really.”

Aedan looked at him coldly and waited.

“I’m sorry…I forgot myself, okay?” Dane said, back peddling furiously. “He’s fucking hot!”

“He is, but he’s not available. You seem to be forgetting that!”

“I won’t.”

“See that you don’t!”

Dane turned and left the room, leaving Aedan sitting in his high-backed chair trying to control his anger. He had never done anything like this in his life. He was the most secure man in the world, but something about Dane just rubbed him the wrong way, and when he saw him flirting with Gus, he lost it! _Christ, I’m having a fucking mid-life crisis over a God damn twink!_

A few minutes later, Gus walked into the room. “Did you give him hell?”

“I’m sorry. I’m acting like a lesbian.”

Gus shut the door behind him and locked it. He moved over to Aedan and spun his chair around so that it now faced him instead of the desk. He moved forward and stood in front of him with his legs planted on either side of Aedan’s body, his groin at level with Aedan’s chest and he bent forward and lifted Aedan’s face with his hand and kissed him, running his tongue lightly around Aedan’s lips than sucking on his tongue before he pulled away and whispered, ‘You are incredibly hot when you’re jealous.”

“Gus,” Aedan moaned, embarrassed at being found out.

“I love you,” Gus whispered again, “Dane may as well have a vagina, for all I care.”

Aedan pulled Gus forward and frantically worked his zipper, tugging at it, until finally, in a fit of impatience, he yanked at Gus' pants and tore them apart, hearing the fabric rip and the buttons flying off, pulling them down Gus’ body, followed quickly by his briefs until he had what he wanted all along and he took Gus’ cock into his mouth, moaning with pleasure as he heard his partner sighing contentedly.

“Jesus," Gus whispered, heady with the delicious waves of pleasure that lapped at him via Aedan's talented tongue. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, lost in sensations. "Suck me," he urged, his breath coming out in short, ragged, spurts as Aedan engulfed him.

After a few minutes Gus pulled away, hauling Aedan up from the chair. He quickly peeled off Aedan’s shirt, yanking at his pants and briefs and he turned him, and draped him across his own desk, his naked body beautiful under the light of the lamp. Gus ran both hands up and down the tanned muscular torso, the narrow waist and he squeezed the round globes gently, groaning as his erection pulled him forward seeking release.

“Aed…I need to be in you.”

“Drawer,” Aedan huffed out, writhing under Gus' hand.

Gus pulled open a drawer and found the tube he was looking for. “Thank Christ," he murmured, as he squeezed a healthy dollop in his hand and slathered it all over his cock and Aedan's hole. He shoved his eight inches into Aedan with a huge sigh of relief.

“Oh…my…God…” Aedan groaned. His head lay pressed on the warm wood of his desk, his body overcome with pleasure as Gus moved in and out of him in a slow and delicious dance. It was torture of the most exquisite kind. Feeling Gus push into him, filling him, hitting the right spot over and over was more soothing than words. Knowing that this beautiful man wanted him meant the world to him and he would guard him and their relationship with his life if necessary.

“You’re the only one,” Gus whispered, his head pressed down on Aedan’s back as he continued to work him with his hips.

“Angel…”

Gus reached down and snaked his hand under Aedan’s hip to wrap his fingers lovingly around Aedan’s cock which was pressing urgently against his stomach, and he began pumping him, in time with his own movements and soon they were both trembling with the tension of imminent release.

“So good, Aed…”

“Gus.” Aedan felt the pleasure minutes before Gus did, and his orgasm grabbed his lover’s cock with each spasm, milking him until he too was swept along by the sweet wave that crashed into them. He felt Gus, pouring hot and strong, claiming him with every pulsing move.

“Fuck…” Gus collapsed on Aedan’s back, rubbing his face back and forth on the warm skin that was now covered with a light layer of sweat.

“Angel?”

“Hmmm?”

Aedan lifted himself off the desk, practically carrying Gus on his back, and he turned and wrapped his arms around his partner and whispered, “I’m sorry, for acting like an insecure, forty-seven year old queer, with a gorgeous, thirty-one year old husband.”

Gus snorted out a laugh and buried his face in Aedan’s neck. “Is that what you are?”

“Yes.”

“I disagree. You’re caring and sensitive, and let’s not forget the hot-as-fuck part. I’m crazy about you, Aedan.”

“Gus…”

“Why are you having such issues with Dane? I don’t find him attractive in the least bit.”

“You really don’t?”

“No!”

“Okay, I won’t ever go there again, promise.”

“You’d better not, although a jealous Aedan is such a turn-on,” Gus growled against his ear, rubbing himself all over his partner.

Many hours later after another long session of make-up sex, followed by a stir-fried chicken dinner lovingly prepared by a contrite Aedan, they lay in bed, replete, mentally and physically. Gus recounted his conversation with Sasha, to get Aedan’s opinion of the whole thing.

“The selfish part of me wants to say yes, so we can get rid of Dane,” Aedan said with a smile.

“I thought we were putting those nasty thoughts behind us.”

“I just said I wouldn’t go there, I didn’t say I’d forget about it.”

Gus reached over and messed up Aedan’s hair. “You’re crazy.”

“Crazy in love.”

“They can sniff around me all they want. I ain’t putting out.”

Aedan stared into Gus’ eyes and said, “I love you.”

“I know you do-I love you too, but no more Mr. Insecure okay? It’s not a good look on you; I much prefer the arrogant, know-it-all Nobel prize winner. Now, let’s talk about Sasha and her request.”

“What are your concerns?” Aedan asked.

“None really, other than the fact that she’ll be even more alone, living by herself. At least now she’s got Sorina and Ria and of course, Daphne and Alex fly in as often as possible, so they kind of keep an eye out for her. You and I are not going to be as vigilant.”

“Gus, she’s a young woman, not a child.”

“I know, and that’s precisely what bothers me. She’s always alone.”

That’s just who she is Gus. She’s never been a social butterfly.”

“She’s too young to be such a recluse. Hell, she’s a beautiful girl Aedan. She should have men beating down her door, driving her crazy. Instead, she’s like this old lady who goes to school, comes here and baby-sits, and then goes home. How fun is that?”

“Have you talked to her about it?”

“I asked her if she’s ever been in love.”

“And?”

“She said she had, but wouldn’t go into any details.”

“Maybe she’s carrying a torch for this guy.”

“Yeah…I wonder who the fuck he is?”

 

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

  
Author's notes: This and future chapters may contain references to or scenes in the BDSM world.  This is neither an endorsement or a condemnation of this lifestyle and is strictly for entertainment purposes.  Inspired by the Deviation series of Chris Owen and Jodi Payne, and the writing of Buckeye5 over at lj.  


* * *

Chapter 15

Justin’s studio was in the west wing of Britin Manor, with three skylights that allowed the sunshine to pour in, illuminating the place perfectly. There were two oversized tables that he used for the larger canvases and several easels strategically placed near the windows or directly under a skylight. The smell of paint and turpentine assaulted you as soon as you walked through the door. Mark followed Justin into his sanctuary and was just blown away!

He moved from easel to easel, looking at the pieces that were completed or half-way done and his opinion of Justin did a three-hundred-sixty degree turn for the better. The man was, without a doubt, a bloody genius.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“If you can’t say anything nice…” Justin drawled.

“No, that’s not it! I’m in awe, and I have no words that are adequate. I didn’t realize how talented you are.”

“Thank you,” Justin replied, feeling a little sheepish for the way he’d been acting.

Mark ran his hands through his hair and smiled at Justin, with a shrug of the shoulder. “You’re amazing.”

Justin couldn’t help but soften a little, not because of the flattery, but because the man standing in front of him was clearly Brian’s clone; just as beautiful, and as such, impossible to resist.

“Do you paint or draw?”

“Not really,” Mark answered, with a shake of his head. “I draft, more than anything else, linear shapes, blue prints and such. I’m not an artist in the true sense of the word.”

“I see. Would you like to see more of my finished pieces?”

“I’d love to,” Mark replied.

Justin moved to another side of the room where large wooden racks were lined up against the wall, each one containing canvases that were ready to go out to the framers.

“Here’s a piece that’s been commissioned by The Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong. It’s going to be framed in black and gold with a very oriental flavor so it fits the décor.”

Mark appraised the canvas and was struck by the power of the horses that raced across the landscape. They were in some kind of a contest, the muscles and straining sinews easily apparent as they charged across the barren landscape. They were caught in motion, panting, with fiery, reddish smoke escaping from their flared nostrils. It was powerful and moving and so very much alive.

“Wow!”

“That good, huh?” Justin said, finally cracking a smile.

Mark looked at him and all Justin could see was honest admiration. This wasn’t someone trying to suck-up.

“Here’s one I did for an exhibit I’m going to have next Spring out in Los Angeles. I’ve called it ‘Hunger’.”

Mark stepped back while Justin pulled out a larger canvas and propped it up against the wall. He gasped when he saw the huge face of a toothless, gray-haired woman, who may have been in her sixties, judging by her body, but she had the eyes of an eighty-year-old, the pain and suffering easily apparent.

“Jesus Christ,” Mark whispered, clearly moved.

“I know. It’s pretty raw.”

“I’ll say.”

Finally, Justin moved over to another corner where an easel stood on its own, the canvas sitting on the ledge draped in a white cloth. This is why he had invited Mark into his studio, so he could see this painting, but now Justin was having second thoughts, because he wasn’t feeling quite as hostile as he had earlier in the evening. He wanted to see Mark’s gut reaction to the painting, so he could judge for himself, see what was in this guy’s head. He decided to follow through with his plan, regardless of his weakening resolve.

“This is something I just finished about a month ago.” Justin tugged at the cloth and pulled it down. Sasha stared at them, in all her exotic beauty, her hair wild and loose around her face. The diamond stud twinkled against the smooth, mocha colored skin, the greenish-brown eyes, with their dark fringe of long, curly lashes looked directly at them, a mysterious smile curling her lips. Justin had her dressed in a white, gauzy fabric, which allowed you to see parts of her body, her long arms, her slim neck, the breasts that pushed against the white chemise underneath the over blouse.

Mark’s sharp intake of breath and his step back was bad enough. The tears that appeared unexpectedly were even more revealing as he stood there and soaked in her face, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he stood riveted by the vision in front of him. He didn’t even realize a stray tear had run down his cheek, but Justin saw it, and he turned and walked away so as not to embarrass him.

The relief coursing through him was enormous because he had seen what he had hoped to see. Mark was still very much in love with his daughter…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Sorina was at the barre, doing her morning exercises, each dip and bend a routine she did mindlessly. She was with two other girls but they were on the other side of the room so she was more or less by herself. It was around eleven in the morning…early to be up and already practicing, but she was restless and this seemed like a good way to burn off some energy.

The door opened and Yury strolled in, wearing black tights and a skin tight red shirt, cut off just under his nipples, revealing his well sculpted torso.

“Good morning Sorina.”

She nodded, refusing to engage in any type of conversation. The less she had to do with him, the better.

“Where is Ryan?”

“You mean my Ryan?”

Yury gazed at her with absolute disdain…”I mean, the Ryan! The beautiful man who happens to be your dance partner.”

“And boyfriend!”

“And lover?” Yury asked, waiting to see her reply. When none was forthcoming, and all he saw was a young girl looking flustered, he laughed and said, “I didn’t think so.”

“Not yet!” she threw out, annoyed beyond belief. Her cheeks flamed bright red. How dare he push her into revealing such intimate details of her life? She wanted to walk over and pull out all his hair!

“My sweet Sorina…let’s see who gets to him first,” Yury pronounced, throwing down the gauntlet. It was now official. War had been declared.

“Ryan isn’t gay, Yury!”

“We’ll see about that.”

“Leave him alone,” she said, her voice starting to rise to a dangerous level. Her tears pushed out of her eyes, pouring down her cheeks and she felt like a fool and completely out of control. It was the most embarrassing moment of her life, especially when he turned away from her, laughing mockingly. He looked back over his shoulder, seeing such a pitiful display of emotion and laughed out loud again. “Silly girl,” he threw out as a parting shot.

“Fucker,” she whispered, the hatred consuming her.

She ran into the dressing room and pulled out her iphone, texting Ryan immediately. ‘911’ was all she typed in and two minutes later her phone rang.

“What is it?” he asked in a panic.

“Ryan?”

“Are you okay?”

“Come and get me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorina sat at the corner Starbucks, sipping her latte, all the while contemplating murder. She had visions of throwing Yury into a pool of sharks or having him kidnapped by aliens.

In actuality, she felt foolish for letting Yury get to her.

Ryan walked through the door and raised his hand when he spotted her. He moved over to her table and kissed her on the lips, lingering a few minutes to look in her eyes and say, “You okay?”

“I’m better now.”

“What happened?”

“He was being an asshole.”

“Yury?”

She nodded and looked at him with concern. “Ryan, what are we going to do about him?” Her face was pale and her normally bright, expressive eyes seemed to have dimmed.

“I just have to convince him I’m not gay and maybe then he’ll leave me alone.”

“He thinks he can get you to change your mind!”

“Fuck him! I got nothing against gays, but I’m not one of them…I’ve never met anyone like this. The worse part is if we piss him off he’ll have us black-balled and our careers will be over before they’ve even started!”

“Maybe we should talk to Ivan about him?”

“Are you crazy? Ivan is Russian and has known Yury longer than he’s known us. He’ll side with him.”

She moved over to the small settee he was sitting on and leaned against his shoulder. He put his arm around her and squeezed her tightly against his body.

“Can we go to a hotel?”

“Now?” He was shocked by her request.

“Yes.”

“Babe, I thought we had this all planned?”

“I know…I’m just worried that it will never happen because of him.”

“Aww, come on.”

“Don’t you want me?”

“Of course I want you! But we’re going to have the most romantic night of our life in two weeks, just like we planned. I’m not letting Yury ruin that and you shouldn’t either.”

“What if it doesn’t happen?”

“Why wouldn’t it?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, almost to herself.

Ryan lifted her chin and stared into the blue eyes that had captured him months ago. “I promise you that nothing will interfere with our plans. You have to trust me on this.”

“I do trust you, Ry. It’s him I don’t trust!”

They continued to sit and hold each other, both lost in their thoughts, trying to come up with a solution to rid themselves of Yury, once and for all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Two days later, Justin was in his studio, getting all the artwork ready for delivery to the new club. There were a total of 8 murals, each one depicting scenes that were prevalent in the world of BDSM. They were all the same size, approximately four by eight feet; each painting, an extraordinary work of art that would be the focal point of a room.

The first painting had a St. Andrew’s cross dominating the canvas. An intimidating figure dressed in black leather stood in front of the cross, holding a silver and black flogger in one hand, while his other caressed the back of a dark-haired male he had just disciplined. The man was naked, his body stretched tightly across the wood, the ropey muscles easily discernible under the crisscrossing red stripes that stood out against the expanse of white skin. His head was turned to the right so one could see his profile. It was Brian’s profile, clearly Justin’s inspiration.

Justin heard a knock on the door and he yelled, “Come in.”

Brian walked in, dressed in jeans and a black top, barefoot, with two cups of coffee.

“I brought you some coffee,” he said, handing Justin a cup, when he noticed the painting of himself strapped to the cross. “Whoa! Is that what you’re fantasizing about when you’re in here at all hours painting like crazy?”

“What do you think?” Justin asked, watching for Brian’s reaction.

“I think they’ll love it, although I’d prefer to be the one holding the flogger.”

“I know you would,” Justin said wickedly, “But this is my fantasy, not yours.”

“And you want to see me like that? Tied up and helpless while someone whips me?” Brian asked.

“No, I wouldn’t want anyone to hurt you,” Justin whispered, moving slowly towards Brian. “But I’d love to torture you while you’re tied down. You know how I get when you’re under me.”

“Uh, yeah... Don’t I get a turn at my fantasy?”

“Brian, we have eight rooms to play with. We can take turns with all our fantasies.”

“I’m already hard…”

“And that’s the whole point, isn’t it? I want to torture you with my mouth, and my hands, with all kinds of fun toys.”

“Jesus Christ, Justin. Shut up or I’ll throw you against the wall and fuck you!”

“Oh, no you don’t,” Justin said, moving away, laughing with excitement. “We are going to get a first hand look at each room when I go to hang the art.”

“When?” Brian asked, pulling Justin back towards him.

“Now.”

“No shit! Who else will be at the club?”

“Just a bunch of work men. It’s not open to the public yet. Kain might be there.”

“Who’s he?”

“The manager of the club.”

“Is he okay with me coming along?”

“I already cleared it…he said that I have carte blanche tonight. Tomorrow, it’s all about the members.”

“Are we invited to the opening? Did they give you a free membership? How come you haven’t shown me any of these pieces until now?”

Brian had a thousand questions, each one moving him closer to Justin who was backing up slowly, the giddy smile on his face making him impossible to resist. He was thrilled that Brian seemed to be so into this.

“All questions will be answered in due time…now go and put on some shoes. The delivery guys will be here any minute now. We’ll follow them in your car.”

“First things first,” Brian said, pulling Justin towards him. “I need a kiss.”

Justin lifted his head and Brian kissed him, lingering over the kiss, reluctant to get going. “Oh, one last thing,” Justin said, pulling a pill out of his pocket. “I want you to take one of our little blue friends before we leave. We’ve got twelve hours to play and then we have to vacate the premises.”

“Are you impugning my sexual prowess?” Brian asked, pretending to be shocked. “Did you just say _twelve hours?”_ Brian asked, looking a little worried.

Justin laughed and wrapped his arms around Brian’s neck, squeezing him tightly. “I’m a greedy little fuck and I want you hard forever.”

“You’d better take a pill as well.”

“Let’s split it,” Justin said, taking the pill and cracking it in half. He swallowed his portion and stuck the other half at the end of his tongue and passed it to Brian in a long and drawn-out kiss.

“I’m already hard,” Brian whispered, rubbing his groin against Justin.

“I plan on keeping you that way all night! Come along, pet,” Justin commanded, looking positively dominant.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

  
Author's notes:

Any references to BDSM are inspired by the Deviations series of Chirs Owen and Jodi Payne.  I do not endose nor do I condemn this life style.  This is strictly for entertainment puposes.  

* * *

**Chapter 16**

****Daphne sat with Sasha at the kitchen table. It was Saturday, so no one was rushing to run out to catch the train for school.

She sipped her second coffee of the morning, trying to decide how to approach her daughter. She’d received a phone call from Gus the other day, telling her about Sasha’s request to move to the small in-law apartment in his basement. It had come as quite a shock and only reinforced the fact that she and her daughter were completely out of touch.

Sasha had always been reticent about sharing her intimate thoughts, but it had escalated in the last two years. Since her return from Europe, she’d kept to herself, sharing only the most basic information. Even Ria seemed completely out of the loop and Daphne was starting to get concerned.

“Sweetie, what are your plans for the day?”

“I thought I’d go and visit Gus and Aedan.”

“You’ve been over there quite a lot, haven’t you?”

“So?”

“What’s the attraction? You never spent much time with them before. Is it the baby?”

“Yes-he’s really cute, and I’m enjoying my time with him.”

“That’s very nice of you, but shouldn’t you be going out with people your age? When was the last time you went out with Ria and your friends from school?”

Sasha stood up to put her dishes away, grabbing Daphne’s coffee cup while she was up. “You want a refill?”

“Please.”

She deposited her dishes in the sink, refilled her mother’s cup and sat back down, dreading this line of questioning.

“Thanks,” Daphne said. She stared at her daughter, noticing the subtle differences in her appearance. The Goth look was gone, which was wonderful because she worried that the dark, depressed fashion statement had only been an outward sign of her mental state. Now that the black, baggy clothes had been dumped, she could assume that Sasha was in a better place.

Her daughters were as different as the sum-total of their parents. Their gene pool consisted of Daphne and Justin’s blood-line but their personalities were a combination of everyone that was involved in their creation. How that happened was always a mystery, but there was no denying that several of Alex and Brian’s traits were quite apparent in the girls.

Sorina was very much an open book-the drama-queen to end all drama-queens. She had her father’s golden looks and romantic heart, but Brian’s ego and need for attention was quite apparent in everything she did. Clocks stopped and heads turned whenever she walked into a room. People reacted to her the way they did Brian Kinney and Justin, of course, whenever he discarded the paint-splotched outfits. She was also graceful and charming, much like her grandmother, Jennifer.

Daphne sometimes felt like a host vessel, housing aliens that had nothing of her personality, other than maybe her slim body and curly hair. The only similarity between herself and Sorina was the motor mouth that revealed all. Both of them had no problem sharing all kinds of information, too much, and many times, unnecessarily.

Sasha was a different world all together. She was all mystery and introspection, with a fine mind that questioned everything constantly, very much like Alex. She never took no for an answer, never accepted anything at face value. She had always been a bit of a cynic, sarcasm seemed to come naturally, a Kinney trait for sure. She could be as bitchy as Justin but she also shared his amazing artistic side which explained many of her mood swings. She was fiercely loyal with family, always putting them ahead of her own needs. She adored her sister even though she considered her to be part fluff and part mental.

“I got a call from Gus the other day,” Daphne said. She noted the shift in Sasha’s body language.

“I figured he’d call you. What do you think of my plan?”

“About your moving there? I’m a little surprised, for one thing.”

“I’m tired of the commute, mom. Plus, I need my own space. It’s crowded as fuck in this condo, what with Ria and her school friends and Sorina and Ryan coming and going at all hours. I need my privacy.”

“I understand, although, you’re the one who invited Ria to come and live here. I would think you’d feel more responsible for her.”

“Mom, she and I got close in Madrid over the summer but we’re not best friends. There’s a lot about her that irritates the hell of out me.”

“Such as?”

“Well, this constant search for the next hot guy, for one thing. I’m tired of helping her find the perfect man.”

“Speaking of men,” Daphne interrupted. “I don’t see any in your life? Are you interested in them at all, or did you inherit your father’s genes?”

“I’m not a muncher, mom.”

“Well, that’s a relief; only because I wouldn’t be able to give you sound advice in that respect, not because they bother me in any way.”

“I know.”

“If you like men, why aren’t you dating, at least? I don’t expect you to latch on to the first guy that comes around, but surely, kissing a few frogs can’t be a bad thing, right sweetie?”

“I’ve kissed a frog or two.”

“Really? When?”

“Mom.”

“You never talk about yourself, Sash. I worry about you.”

“Don’t worry…I’m fine,” Sasha said, putting on her best game face.

“Are you? I often wonder if you’d tell me if something was really wrong.”

“I’d tell you.”

“Thank you for saying that, but somehow I don’t believe you would.”

“Why would you think that, mom?”

“I don’t know. You never have in the past. Do you confide in anyone at all? Your dads or Sorina?”

“Mom! Why do you have this need to interrogate me all of a sudden. You’ve gone years without worrying about me. Why start now?”

“Because this whole move to New York is not working the way I planned! We were supposed to live here, all of us. Not have half a family in each city,” Daphne said, moving her coffee cup back and forth nervously. “At least, when we lived together, I saw you everyday. I knew you were fine.”

Sasha stared at her mother without saying anything.

“You were fine in the Pitts, weren’t you?”

“Yes,” Sasha responded automatically.

Daphne grabbed Sasha’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “I feel like I’m losing both of you, much too soon. It shouldn’t be like this.”

“Mom, we’re eighteen. A lot of women are married at this age, with children.”

“That’s them and you’re you. I would hate to see you marry so young. Your Papa and I waited till we were both finished with our education and well established in our careers before getting married.”

“Mom! I don’t even have a boyfriend! Why are you freaking out?”

“Because! You want to move in to Gus’ place. The only time a young person wants to live alone is if they’re involved with someone and having sex, or on drugs.”

Sasha burst out laughing, the first good laugh she’d had in a long time.

“News flash, Madre, I have no boyfriend, I’m not on drugs and by the way, I haven’t been a virgin in quite a while.”

Daphne sucked in a breath and pushed back her chair, knocking it down by accident. “Are you serious?”

“About, what?” Sasha asked, “The no boyfriend and drugs part or the no hymen?”

“You see! This is exactly what I’m trying to tell you. You never came to me for advice! I’m a psychiatrist, for God’s sake. Did you think I’d freak out?”

“You’re freaking out right now!”

“No I’m not! Who was he? Do I know him?”

“No, you don’t and it’s over.”

“What was his name?”

“It doesn’t matter! Now, are you going to let me move or not? I don’t even know why I’m asking…I am eighteen after all, and I can do anything I want.”

“Alexandra Victoria Cherny! I cannot believe you said that!”

“Uhh..oh…big name. I’m in trouble, huh?”

Daphne sat down abruptly; looking like the wind had been knocked out of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark picked up his cell phone and scrolled through his address book. He’d purchased a new phone this year because the old one had finally died, but the people at the Apple store had guaranteed him that every phone number he had stored in his memory card would transfer to the new one. He stopped scrolling when he saw Sasha’s name with the heart symbol beside it.

Her number was there and he stared at it forever, trying to decide if he should call or not.

Seeing her portrait the other day had been worse than any physical blow he’d ever received. It had knocked the wind right out of him and he’d spent the next few days vacillating on his decision.

He was obviously still attracted to her. The memories of their time together had not faded in the least bit, each one as precious as the next. There was no doubt in his mind that he would easily fall in love with her all over again as soon as he saw her.

And therein lay the problem. He could call and hope that she’d pick up the phone because she wouldn’t recognize his number, or he could talk to Brian and come clean. Surely he would understand why he’d pushed for the abortion. Or would he?

Family seemed to be upper most in Brian’s head these days. He was the patriarch of a relatively large extended family and Mark wondered how Brian would take the news of a relative screwing another relative. Even though there were absolutely no blood ties with Sasha, the fact remained that her father was married to his uncle which made them sort-of-cousins, twice removed, or was he her uncle twice removed? He still hadn’t figured it out. All he knew was that his admission would make or break his relationship with Brian and Justin. If they forgave him, they’d probably try to help him win her back, but if they didn’t, he’d be banished from the Kinney Empire forever. His choices really sucked at this point, but he was tired of living this way.

Every night had turned into a nightmare, the tossing and turning getting completely out of hand. He’d wake up exhausted, barely able to get through the day. He daydreamed in class, remembering the young woman who sat at the far end, to the right of the window, watching him intently, usually chewing on a pencil. He’d close his eyes and smell her perfume, the jasmine scent unforgettable. He’d gone as far as buying a bottle for himself, sprinkling drops on the bed sheets so he could smell her at night.

As for the rest of it, he couldn’t bring himself to admit how often he’d jerked off to the memory of their lovemaking. He was pathetic, he knew it and it was time to fix this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian was in the car, following the delivery van to the club when his phone rang. He looked at caller ID and didn’t recognize the name, but he answered it nonetheless.

“Kinney.”

“Uhh…Mr. Kinney?”

“Who is this?”

“It’s Ryan.”

“Ryan?”

“Sorina’s boyfriend.”

“Oh, that Ryan…I’m glad you called. What’s up with you and Yury?”

“I don’t know, sir. He’s decided to stalk me for some reason.”

“Have you ever encouraged him?”

“Fuck, no!”

“You’re not attracted in any shape or form?”

“Sir, with all due respect. I’m not gay!”

“Well, thank goodness, for Sorina’s sake. Now, what the fuck are we going to do about the Russian?”

“I was hoping you’d tell me?”

“I don’t suppose you have any mob connections?” Brian asked, jokingly.

“No, my Dad’s Irish, and works for immigration.”

“What did you just say?”

“He’s Irish?”

“No, the other part.”

“He’s with the bureau of Immigration and Natural Resources.”

“My dear boy…I think we’ve just found our solution.”

“Sir?”

Brian started talking into the phone, getting more animated by the minute. He was so engrossed that by the time he hung up with Ryan, he was at the entrance to the club.

The delivery van pulled up to the rear of the brownstone that had been converted into the soon-to-be inaugurated, Club Tumescence. Brian parked his Mercedes behind the van and got out, only to lean up against the door with his legs and arms crossed, watching as the parade of men hauled the paintings into the building.

Justin was all business, bossing everyone around and posturing in his usual demanding way. Watching him act like this was always a big turn-on for Brian. So long as the directives and orders were not flung in his direction, he could sit back and enjoy the show. By the time the last painting was carried up the few flights of stairs into the building, Brian had a raging hard-on.

He followed Justin into the converted Brownstone, immediately assaulted by the sensory overload. It was decorated in understated elegance, with a hint of the bordellos of old, a world of rich velvets and satins with the addition of leather, an integral part of the BDSM world. The hardwood floors were dark and shiny, as well as all the other wood work that abounded; the banister of the impressive stair case, the wall-to-wall bar on one side of the room, the door frames, and the crown molding. All in a rich mahogany that appeared years old but was really a miracle of interior design, as everything in the club was either brand-new or just a few months old.

They stood under a crystal chandelier that screamed ‘Baccarat’, worth at least one-hundred thousand dollars. The crystal scones on the walls were also made by the famous French house. Brian looked around and noted all the subtle signs of wealth. Apparently, no expense had been spared to make this a luxurious home away from home for all the millionaires into whips and chains.

“Justin, You’ve arrived, and with an escort?”

“Kain! Let me introduce you to my partner, Brian Kinney.”

“Kain Jackson,” he said, extending his arm. “Your reputation precedes you.”

“Oh really? And which reputation is that?”

“Does it matter? The important thing is that you have one,” Kain smiled easily, showing off bright, white teeth.

“This is true,” Brian replied, giving him a casual inspection. Kain was dressed in a dark grey suit, an Armani, easily recognized by one who had been wearing Armani for years. He was in his late forties or early fifties, an arresting man with a full head of silver-white hair, long enough to brush his collar. His face was craggy, all lines and angles with a few residual acne scars, which made him even more attractive, for some reason. His most arresting features were dark eyes, fringed with long, straight lashes and his thick black eyebrows, a startling contrast to the shock of white on his head.

There was a young man directly behind him who knelt by their side as soon as Kain stopped to talk to Brian. Kain rested his hand on the man’s head while they talked.

Brian looked down at the submissive who must have been in his mid-twenties. He had blond hair, cropped close to his head and he was dressed in black leather pants that looked like they were painted on. They were held together by strings of leather, instead of a zipper, and there were gaps that allowed you to see the magnificent cock trapped in the leather cage, placed there by his master for disciplinary reasons. His t-shirt was also black, and there was a braided, black leather collar around his neck, with a silver name tag on it. His eyes were respectfully down-cast so Brian couldn’t see the extent of his beauty. He just knew that he was.

“And this young man?” Brian asked.

“This is, Eric, my pet.”

“He’s beautiful.”

“Isn’t he? Stand up, pup, so Mr. Kinney can have a better look at you.”

Eric stood, all six-feet of him, but he kept his eyes down-cast. Brian reached under his chin and lifted it to look into light-blue eyes that appeared calm and content. A slight spark showed up for a minute when he rested his eyes on Brian’s, but then the eyes looked down again, ever mindful of his position.

Brian nodded, acknowledging him, and then Eric sank back down on his knees as his master continued his conversation.

“I just saw some of the artwork, Justin. You have outdone yourself!”

“Thank you…I’m glad you’re pleased.”

“The pieces are magnificent. Would you gentlemen like a tour of the club?”

“That would be very nice,” Brian replied, resting his arm on Justin’s shoulder and pulling him up close.

Eric stood as they moved, keeping close to Kain, instep with every one of his movements. He was like his shadow, trained to stop and go at his master’s heel.

“Are you interested in our world at all, Mr. Kinney?” Kain asked, raising an eyebrow. He’d heard of the legendary, Brian Kinney, and meeting him after all this time was a definite pleasure.

“Please, call me Brian. There are certain aspects of it that I find interesting, but for the most part, it’s not my thing. I’m not into pain; watching it being inflicted or receiving is not my idea of fun. Now, bondage, deprivation and public sex on the other hand…”

“I see,” Kain replied, smiling knowingly. “Have you ever witnessed any bondage scenes?”

“When I was much younger. Nothing in the recent past.”

“We’ll have to arrange something special just for you and Justin, with heavy emphasis on what you like. There’s something for everyone here, Brian. Consider this to be more than a BDSM club. We will do anything to enhance a sexual experience while you are our guest. I’d love it if you and Justin would stop by tomorrow for the inauguration of the club. There will be plenty to peak your interest.”

“We’ll see if I’m still alive tomorrow,” Brian smiled. “I think Justin has plans for me tonight.”

“I will assume that your reputation is well-founded and tonight will only be an appetizer.”

Brian laughed at Kain’s audacity. His evening was starting to look more and more promising.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

  
Author's notes: The warnings on BDSM continue for this chapter.  Read at your own risk.  Inspired by the Deviation series by Chris Owen and Jodi Payne.  


* * *

Chapter 17

Brian and Justin were standing in the middle of the great room at Club Tumescence with Kain, the manager, and his companion, Eric. Kain was introducing them to all the features of the club before leaving them alone for the night.

“The first floor is pretty standard for a gentlemen’s club with a dining room, a card room, a smoking room and of course this, the great room, with the bar that you see in front of you.”

Brian noted that there was nothing standard about any of it. He couldn’t recall being in any club that had gone to such lengths to make the surroundings as tasteful and as elegant. The bar alone was a shrine to every top-shelf brand of alcohol one could ever want. He scanned the different names and saw some bottles that were easily over one-hundred years old and worth a small fortune on their own.

The seventy-five thousand dollar membership was more than justified, if this was only the tip of the iceberg. He could well imagine what the rest of the place looked like.

“Our chefs are world-class and our kitchen stays open twenty-four hours a day, with three shifts maintaining the high standards our guests expect. We want our members to use this club for business luncheons as well as their home away from home. The idea is that our club cater to every physical need and craving they have, be it food, drink or sex. We intend to provide the ultimate sensual experience.”

“Sounds great, but how does one enjoy their Steak Diane, over the inconvenient screaming and moaning, not to mention the crack of the bull whips?”

Kain smiled at Brian. “None of the scenes are played out on this floor. Anyone interested in partaking of the other sensual delights need only climb the stairs. Every room on the second and third level is sound proofed, as is the entire basement.”

“Oh, you have a dungeon? Is that where the racks and crosses are lined up?”

“Among other things.”

“Ahh, this gets better and better.”

“Shall we move upstairs?”

“Let’s,” Justin said. “I’d like to check on all the paintings.”

“Elevator or stairs?”

“Let’s walk,” Brian said, following Justin up the stairs.

“The second floor is where we have the center stage or what we commonly refer to as the arena. This area is visible to all the private rooms on the third floor via two-way mirrors. You can watch the whole scene from the privacy of a room, if you don’t want to be seen or actually partake. Voyeurism is encouraged and expected.”

“Now you’re talking,” Brian said.

“Would you like to see the arena?”

“No, I’m more interested in the rooms,” Brian replied

“Justin?” Kain asked.

“We can start upstairs, but I would like to see what’s in the arena at some point. It doesn’t have to be tonight.”

“As you wish.” Kain moved towards the stairs, followed closely by Eric.

When they got to the top floor Kain stopped in front of a black door. He punched in some numbers into the security lock and the door clicked open. “Each room has its own security code and a special card will let you in. I just happen to know all the codes and this is simpler for now.”

The door swung open and Kain held it, allowing Brian and Justin to pass through. He and Eric stepped in behind them and the door shut with a solid thunk.

One wall was dominated by a mirror, the two-way that Kain had spoken about earlier. When they moved closer to it, they were able to look down into a central room that was an exact replica of a Roman arena. There were tiered stone steps encircling the area, covered with comfortable looking pillows for guests to sit or lean on. The center of the arena was dominated by a huge St. Andrew’s cross, and a wipping post, as well as an enormous table that had round iron rings on all four corners and other assorted leather straps and clamps.

“That’s one impressive torture chamber,” Brian said, whistling softly.

“One man’s torture is another man’s joy.”

“Like we said earlier…whatever floats your cock, right?”

“Right.”

Kain faced the tall armoire that stood in the corner and opened it. There was a mini-bar and refrigerator, as well as drawers that he began to open. “You will find many toys in here and if there’s something you can’t find, all you have to do is ask. There’s an assortment of lube and condoms, dildos of varying size, straps, paddles, floggers, butt plugs, cuffs and silk cloths of different lengths for blindfolding or gagging. We try and anticipate everyone’s needs but, as I said, if you should have a desire for something that is not here, pick up the house phone and it will be delivered.”

“Does that include human beings?”

“No. This is not a whorehouse. We introduce members, when we feel there’s a common need or a possible good match. We also help in the drawing up and signing of contracts between doms and their subs. All our guests are paying members and any partnerships that occur as a result of a chance meeting in any of the public rooms are mutual and consensual. No money ever exchanges hands for sex.”

“I see,” Brian replied.

Kain moved over to the bed. Justin’s painting hung over it, becoming the focal point of the room. It was an orgy scene, a tangle of male bodies in different sexual poses. The center figure was another dom, dressed in a three-piece suit, reclining on a divan receiving a blowjob from a fine-looking blond while he watched the activity around him. He looked eerily like Kain, his white hair showing silver against the dark background.

“Is that supposed to be Kain?” Brian asked Justin.

“He was on my mind when I painted it,”

“How long have you known each other?” Brian asked.

Kain waited for Justin to speak…it was his story to tell and he was not about to divulge anything.

“We met years ago, when I lived in New York. I went through a dark phase for about six months and did this scene, until I realized it wasn’t for me. Kain was one of the doms at the club I frequented.”

Kain was surprised that Justin came clean and even more surprised that Brian’s facial expression never changed. He would have hated to face him in a poker game. Talk about smooth. You would have been hard- pressed to know that Brian’s stomach was in knots hearing Justin’s revelation. He’d known about the few months that Justin had been on self-destruct, but meeting someone who was part of that scene wasn’t anything he’d ever experienced and certainly not here in Pittsburgh.

“Kain helped me to see the light,” Justin said, smiling at the impressive man who looked at him and nodded.

“Then I owe you a favor, Mr. Jackson. You were instrumental in bringing him back to me,” Brian stated calmly.

Justin moved over to Brian immediately and encircled his waist, pressing up against him and then reaching up to kiss him on the mouth. Kain watched this interplay and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Brian respond by pulling Justin tightly against him returning the kiss with a passion that was surprising for such a long-term relationship.

“This life is not for everyone, and Justin knew it almost immediately. I was just the catalyst,” Kain replied. “He would have come to the realization all on his own.”

“Nonetheless,” Brian stated, breaking away from Justin and facing Kain. “I’m in your debt.”

“It was all part of my job.”

“Aren’t doms only about inflicting pain?”

“We’re much more than that, Brian. I’m sure that Justin can tell you more about us, if you’re interested to learn.”

“I’m sure he will, if and when I ask.”

Kain broke eye contact, in essence, acknowledging Brian as the dominant one in this verbal battle. He had no desire to stir the pot or incur Brian’s wrath. His relationship with Justin had ended on pleasant terms many years ago and it was a chance meeting at a downtown restaurant that had resurrected it. Finding out that Justin was the renowned Taylor who had fine art displayed in museums and galleries around the world was a very pleasant surprise. The fact that he needed artwork for his new club had brought them to this point in time. Now, all he wanted to do was keep the peace and Brian Kinney as a patron. It would be the worse thing for business to get on Kinney’s bad side. He’d ruin him in a month.

“Shall we go on with the tour?”

“Absolutely,” Brian said, holding Justin’s hand and following Kain and Eric out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Sasha surveyed her new apartment with a critical eye. The movers had come and gone, the starving young students she’d used to move her few things happy with the tip and the pizza she’d provided.

The small one-bedroom apartment was perfect for her needs. There was a kitchenette, a round table for dining, a living area large enough for a two-seater, an entertainment unit for her TV and Play Station and a desk for her computer.

The bedroom had a queen size bed with an attached bathroom. Everything one could hope for or need was at her fingertips. Gus had even purchased brand new bedding for her; the bedspread was a beautiful patchwork of different shades of green and pink, with splashes of white, guaranteed to brighten up the gloomiest day. There was a vase filled with pink roses on the table, again, a gift from her thoughtful brother.

Daphne walked in and surveyed her daughter’s new home. She and Alex had reluctantly given their blessing to the move, after consulting with Brian and Justin. Everyone had agreed that having her live with Gus and Aedan was better than her being in some apartment where no one could keep an eye on her. They knew that she was determined to move out on her own, so this was a good compromise. Of course, Daphne and Alex had no idea why this location was so important to Sasha, but Brian and Justin had a few panic moments when they first heard of the plan. In fact, Justin had placed a call to Sasha to voice his concern and the conversation went like this.

“Sweetie, what are you thinking?”

“It’s going to be fine, Dad. I won’t disturb the arrangements.”

“Isn’t this proximity to Taylor going to be hard on you?”

“The alternative is more difficult. I need to see him every day.”

“Are you going to tell Gus and Aedan?”

“I don’t think so, however, I can’t say for sure. So much has happened since his arrival.”

“Like what?”

Sasha sighed into the phone and paused, trying to gather her thoughts. “I’m beginning to realize that I may have made a mistake.”

“I see,” Justin said, almost holding his breath. “Having him or giving him up?”

“Oh, I could never regret having him, dad! He’s beautiful and so sweet…he’s the best thing that came out of my botched love affair.”

“I’m glad you feel that way about him. I would hate to think you had regrets about not having an abortion.”

“Never!”

“Sasha, it’s not too late to tell Gus and Aedan. I’m sure some sort of agreement can be worked out. Gus was part of a family dynamic that wasn’t exactly conventional. And so are you and Sorina. Surely, you can see that?”

“I know. I’m just not sure if that’s what I want, either. I need this time to figure it out, dad. You do understand, don’t you?”

“Wouldn’t it help to talk to your mom about it? Sweetie, she’s a licensed psychiatrist.”

“Please tell me you haven’t betrayed my confidence.”

“I would never do that, but I do have my concerns.”

Sasha sighed again, but did not give in. “I’m not ready to divulge anything to anyone at this point. I need more time.”

“Taylor is almost six months old. The longer you wait, the more difficult this is going to be.”

“I’m sure that if I do say something, everyone will hate me!”

“No one will hate you! People will be surprised, but they would never hate you…Sasha, give us all a little credit. You are part of a family unit that is unconventional, but loving in every way. They would never judge you for bringing such a special person into our lives.”

“I know, but until it’s settled in my head and my heart, I’ll not rock the boat.”

“Promise me one thing though?”

“What?”

“You’ll call me and your Dad when you’re ready to talk to someone. We want to be there for you.”

“Okay.”

That conversation had left Justin feeling much better about the move. He hoped that being around Taylor on a daily basis would encourage Sasha to come clean and become an official part of his life. The logistics and the legalities of the whole thing still eluded him, but his concern was for his daughter’s mental health more than anything else, and she seemed to be in a better place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were in room number five, the grey room. This one had a painting depicting a collaring scene. So far, Brian and Justin could not find fault with a single one of the rooms they’d toured. Each one was appointed perfectly, the beds were all king sized with the appropriate four posters, designed specifically to withstand any amount of tugging and pulling. There were hooks and clips on each one for the different restraints that were available. Each room mirrored the previous one. The only difference was the color scheme and the painting on the wall. All the armoires were stocked with the same amount of toys.

“I think I’ve seen enough for now,” Brian said. “We can continue the tour tomorrow, with the rest of the members.”

Kain nodded, aware that Brian and Justin were ready to be left alone.

“Very well…you have the run of the house. There is security on the premises and I had the chef prepare a tray of cold-cuts in case you get hungry. You are welcome to stay the night, if you choose. That is entirely up to you. All I ask is that you leave before ten in the morning, as that’s when the crew arrives to set up for the evening festivities.”

“Right.”

“Everything in the mini-bar is yours for the taking. We also have a drawer with other goodies, if alcohol is not your thing.”

“Thank you,” Justin said.

“You’re more than welcome. Enjoy your evening,” Kain said, walking out the door with Eric behind him.

“Alone at last,” Justin said, smiling at his partner. “I think I’d like a drink.”

“That does sound good. Wine or Vodka?”

“Vodka.”

Brian opened the refrigerator and found a bottle of Armadale that was appropriately chilled and two shot glasses, equally frosted. He poured the liquid into the glasses and brought Justin’s drink over to the side of the room where the entertainment center stood.

“Here you go.”

“To our new home away from home,” Justin smiled, raising his glass.

“Indeed,” Brian replied and swallowed his drink in one shot. “Damn, that’s fine.”

“One more and then let’s look in the drawers,” Brian said, pouring another shot for the both of them.

“Shall we play out a scene or just fuck?”

Justin smiled, happy that Brian was still in a good mood, despite the unexpected revelation of his and Kain’s past history. Brian didn’t seem disturbed by any of it.

“I want to tie you up.”

“You do?” Brian replied, nuzzling Justin’s neck. “Have at it.”

Justin moved over to the armoire and looked through different drawers, pulling out some leather handcuffs and silk scarves.

He started to peel off Brian’s clothes, starting with the t-shirt. He moved confidently, kissing every bit of flesh as it was exposed, starting with Brian’s chest.

“You like that?” Justin asked as he sucked on Brian’s nipple and then bit down, drawing a hiss from his partner.

“Ahh, I can see where you’re going with this, Master Taylor.”

“Oh yeah,” Justin smiled, moving Brian slowly towards the bed. “Take off your pants and your shoes,” he ordered, pulling off his own shirt.

Brian was already hard listening to Justin's tone of voice.

“Why am I so turned on when you get all bossy and shit?”

“You’re channeling your hidden submissive.”

“Is that what it is?”

“We all have a little of both in us. You’re always in control in the real world, always in charge. I think you like it when I take the reins once in a while.”

“You do it so well,” Brian smiled, watching as Justin looked over the leather restraints, running his hands around them to make sure they would be comfortable.

“Lie down, Brian.”

“Kiss me first.”

“Lie down, now!”

Brian’s cock twitched, an eyebrow shot up and he acquiesced, eagerly anticipating the bumpy ride.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

  
Author's notes: **This chapter contains an explicite scene in the BDSM world. Read at your own risk-do not try this at home! This is strictly for entertainment purposes and is neither an endorsement nor a condemnation of this way of life.**  


* * *

**Chapter 18**

****The ballet company was at the small theater that they had rented for the night. It was the first of three dress rehearsals they were having before the opening night on Saturday. Sorina was in her black and white tutu, her hair pulled back in a sleek chignon, crowned by a black feathered headpiece which enhanced her blue eyes. Ryan was beside her in a flowing white shirt and black tights. He looked beautiful tonight, as did she, but Yury only had eyes for the young man.

“You are incredible, mon ange,” Yury whispered in Ryan’s ear.

“And you’re a perve,” Ryan spat out, moving away from him.

Yury blew him a kiss and stepped off to the side of the stage where he could observe the couple from the wings. Even though he would have loved to see Sorina crash and burn, he had to acknowledge that the girl was good and that she and Ryan made a handsome couple. It was too bad that he’d met the boy so late. It would have been such a pleasure to break him in. He’d pretty much arrived at the conclusion that Ryan was a lost cause; however, he wouldn’t give it a rest until he was one-hundred percent sure.

The music started and they were off. One hour and many interruptions later, the dancers were sitting around in the orchestra area while the choreographers and the backstage personnel conferred. Most of the dancers were drinking water, coffee or protein drinks, a staple of their world. Sorina munched on her energy bar and had a bottle of the flavored water that she preferred.

Yury mingled with a group of young girls from the corps who were fawning all over him while Sorina sat on a chair with her feet stretched out in front of her. She was very pleased with the rehearsal, having made only one minor mistake that Ivan had caught, tsking at her and gesturing with his arms. She acknowledged by bowing her head in his direction and swearing never to repeat that again. She was the consummate dancer, harder on herself than anyone, but the resulting product was well worth it. Her star shown brightly, and mainly through her own hard work.

She pulled her leg back just in time, as one of the lead dancers crossed in front of her, narrowly missing a stumble. She apologized profusely but looked up just as she saw Yury walking towards her and purposely moved her leg forward again, just as Yury crossed her path. He stumbled and fell on his knees, howling like a drama queen, glaring at her.

“Oops,” she said, smiling wickedly.

“Putain!”

“Perv!” she countered, delighted to have the upper hand for once.

He got up and stormed off, walking just fine, his pride hurt more than anything else.

There was a commotion at the front of the theater as the security guard walked up to Ivan with two official looking gentlemen. After what appeared to be a heated argument, with the director waving his hands up and down and then pressing them to his cheek and shaking his head in distress, he signaled Yury and the two visiting primas. They all stood around and listened with stony faces.

“What’s going on?” Sorina asked, as Ryan came over and sat down beside her.

“Your future father-in-law just gave you an engagement present,” he said, under his breath.

Sorina looked at Ryan wide-eyed. “What do you mean?”

“Those guys are from immigration. They’re questioning the fact that the three Russians are working when they’re here on a tourist’s visa. They may end up being deported. It’s a temporary fix, but it will solve our problems for now.”

“No shit!”

“Yup.”

“Way cool!” She moved and kissed Ryan quickly on the cheek. “Your dad is amazing!”

Ryan smiled at his girlfriend and shook his head, “No, Sorina, yours is.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justin stood at the foot of the bed, staring down at Brian. He was dressed in black leather; an outfit he’d put together from the varied assortment of clothes hanging in the armoire. His naked chest was covered by a studded vest and he had pulled on a pair of pants that were butter-soft and pliable. There was nothing between him and the leather. The pants were skin-tight, with cut-outs down the side of each leg and his ass. They rubbed against his cock as he walked around the bed, massaging him as he continued to get more and more excited. The creak and the smell of the leather only enhanced the scene, adding to the illusion of his role.

“You look fucking hot,” Brian said from his position on the bed, his erection pressing tightly against his stomach.

“You like this, don’t you?” Justin said, bending down and brushing his lips lightly over Brian’s.

Brian moaned and lifted his head, following Justin’s mouth, even as he pulled away.

“Sit still, pet.”

Brian devoured him with his eyes, never breaking their gaze.

Justin laughed and turned to move towards the refrigerator to get the bottle of vodka. Brian could see his bubble butt clearly as he walked away. He looked every bit the part of a dom in control and Brian’s breathing accelerated quickly as he watched Justin pour himself a shot.

“One more for the road and we’ll move on,” Justin said, sipping the drink slowly. This was only his second shot. He wanted to be clearheaded and completely in control to make sure that he was able to give Brian the ride of his life, without endangering him in any way. One thing he knew about being a dom was the responsibility they had to their subs. Safety was paramount at all times.

Brian’s limbs were tethered to the four posters by black leather cuffs that had a length of chain attached to them so that he could move freely, yet remain strapped to the bed. Justin walked back towards Brian and bent forward to kiss him again, dribbling some of the vodka out of his mouth into Brian’s.

“Are you comfortable?” he whispered, running his hand along the side of Brian’s face.

“Yes.”

“Nothing too tight?”

“No.”

Justin checked Brian’s legs, as well as his hands, making sure everything was loose enough and his circulation unhampered. “Can you move your legs okay?”

“I’m fine.” Brian stared up at Justin, who seemed to be completely caught up in the scene. Justin moved over to the armoire and started pulling out floggers and whips and Brian watched as he settled on a couple of furry things that couldn’t possibly hurt, but would no doubt send him through the roof with the stimulation.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“It’s a bunny mitt, guaranteed to send you to heaven and back.”

“What’s the red one?”

“This is a vampire mitt,” Justin smiled, bending down and whispering in Brian’s ear. “It’s the same as the bunny, only with little spiky things.”

“You’re evil.”

“Twisted and perverted.”

Brian laughed, enjoying this side of Justin more than he cared to admit.

“That vampire mitt-how lethal is it?”

“Enough to make you beg.”

“That’s what I thought. Would you put a mask on?”

“Of course,” Justin smiled, happy that Brian was getting into the scene so easily. There were several on the shelf and he settled on one that covered the top half of his face and his hair. It brought out the whiteness of his skin, his pink lips looked plump and enticing as they stretched over his teeth in a smile that could only be described as wicked. He was a stranger in black, dominating the room; his aura dark and mysterious.

“God, you look good,” Brian growled. “How long are you going to make me wait?”

“For as long as I want to. Don’t rush me,” Justin said sternly, testing out his dom behavior. “You know that the relationship between a dom and his sub is all about trust, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Do you trust me, Brian?”

“Of course.”

“Do you trust that I’ll keep you safe?”

“I trust you with my life.”

“Good. Now, what are your safe words?”

“Am I going to need them?” Brian looked at Justin in surprise.

“You might.”

“Orange and blue.”

Justin laughed, “How Iconic.”

“Orange is the new blue…”

“I can’t believe I ever said that.”

“So lame...”

“Shut up,” Justin said, bending down and licking around Brian’s ear, enjoying the sight of the goose bumps that rippled across the bare expanse of skin.

Brian tried squirming away, his nerves completely on edge.

“So orange means stop and blue means go, right?”

“Right, blue…go, now!”

“I’m going to torture you until you beg me to fuck you.”

“No whips.”

“No whips. I’m going to tease you with my furry friends. Your pain will come from me driving you crazy with these guys and the fact that you’re going to want to fuck me but won’t be able to.”

“How do you figure?”

“I’m putting a cock ring on you.”

“Sure you are.”

“I mean it, Brian.”

“What!”

Justin pulled one out of a drawer as well as a long black, silk scarf and he moved back to Brian and slipped the ring on him, pushing it up towards the base of his cock where it fit nice and snug. He then took the scarf and tied it loosely around Brian’s neck.

“What the fuck!”

“Just a little torture. All you have to do is beg me, or say orange, and I’ll take it off.”

“Is this some kind of trick?”

“No!”

“So just take it off and fuck me.”

“How fun is that?”

“You’re really getting off on this, aren’t you?”

“So are you,” Justin kissed Brian again, running his tongue around his lips, pushing into Brian forcefully. He pulled back when he heard Brian moaning.

“We’ll have a contest,” Justin said.

“Elaborate,” Brian replied, already feeling the pressure on his cock from the metal ring.

“I’ll do everything in my power to get you to the breaking point and you resist as long as you can. If I come before you say orange, I lose.”

“And what the hell do I gain?”

“Many, many orgasms, I promise…we have twelve hours, right?”

“What the…”

“I need to hear you beg first.”

“Hah!” Brian laughed, shaking his head.

“Be nice,” Justin said, moving closer to Brian. He knelt beside him and bent down to run his tongue up and down Brian’s cock. It dripped with precum, the bulbous head rosy and slick, making Justin drool a little more and spend far too much time on it. Brian moaned with each lick, moving his head back and forth, rutting against Justin’s face. He looked so hot in his agony, Justin was as hard as steel, his erection pressing tightly against the leather. He moaned out loud, causing Brian to wiggle his lower body and rub against him harder.

“Stop trying to top!”

“Sorry, force of habit.”

“Now lay back and be good.”

“Okay.”

“Say yes, master.”

“God…”

“No…say it right.”

“Master.”

“That’s better. Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Brian was breathless with anticipation, the excitement level way up there.

Justin put the black mitt on one hand and the red one on the other. He knelt over Brian, each knee on either side of his hips and he slowly ran both hands down the length of Brian’s torso, smiling when he saw the look on Brian’s face. The metal spikes in the red glove were sharp enough to cause him to shudder, but not enough to break the skin. He passed the mitts over different parts of Brian’s arms and chest, lightly grazing his groin. Brian’s cock twitched with sensation, his hips lifting as he started pushing against Justin.

“Justin,” he growled.

“Yes?” Justin replied innocently, passing the red mitt across Brian’s cock again, loving the response. The drops of moisture coated the head, tempting Justin, making him bend down again and lick it. “Umm, I love your taste.”

Brian whimpered, lifting his hips.

The black mitt encircled Brian again, in wide sweeping motions, moving down around his balls and grazing his crack.

“Uhh..” his hips moved up again, his erection looking painful in its restraint.

“I need to hear the words, Brian.”

“No…”

“Bad, boy,” Justin replied calmly, bringing the red mitt down, grazing Brian’s cock with a sharp sting.

“Oh, fuck!”

“Too much?”

“No, blue, blue...”

Justin pulled the bottle of vodka up to his lips and left the icy liquid in his mouth for a second before he swallowed, bent down, and engulfed Brian’s cock in his freezing mouth.

“Oh, God…” Brian moaned, his hands pulling on the chains and his body twisting around, trying to get loose. Justin sucked on him for a few minutes and then pulled away again, leaving Brian in a state of suspended arousal.

Justin slid down Brian’s torso and ended up between Brian’s legs. He rubbed the vampire mitt along Brian’s inner thigh, grazing the tender skin and causing Brian to start thrashing. “Feel good?” he asked, lifting his head to see Brian’s face. His eyes were closed and he seemed a million miles away. There were no signs of pain, only pleasure. He bent down once again and pushed Brian’s knees apart and started to twirl his tongue around the tender pucker, smiling to himself when he heard the yelp coming out of his partner, even as his hips moved left and right, trying to escape Justin’s invasive tongue. He ignored Brian’s pleas and attacked with relish, turning on every trick he’d learned at the hands of the expert who now lay exposed and quivering beneath him.

“Justin…”

“Beg me…”

“Please…”

“Please, what?”

“More,” Brian groaned shamelessly.

Justin lapped and twirled, poked and prodded, rimmed and sucked, making wet, squishy, humming noises, lost in his own world.

Brian’s hands gripped the sheets; his knuckles were white with tension, his head moved back and forth, even as his cock dripped nonstop.

Justin looked up and saw that his partner was near to the breaking point, his own imminent orgasm making him change his plans.

Justin ripped off the mitts and practically tore his pants off, freeing his erection which bobbed obscenely in front of him. He moved up towards Brian’s head and straddled him, rubbing his cock back and forth across Brian’s lips and he said, “Suck me.”

Brian swallowed Justin’s cock, sucking on him so hard his cheeks completely hollowed out, his groaning almost as loud as Justin’s. “Jesus,” Justin cried out, pulling away quickly before he exploded.

He turned and fumbled with the cock ring, pulling it off Brian who was bucking and lifting his hips, finally saying the words Justin was waiting to hear.

“Justin…please.”

“Tell me…”

“Fucking orange, please…orange…Jesus Christ!”

Justin turned and positioned himself, but not before he slathered lube all over his cock. He held the black scarf, tightening the knot a little more, which only made Brian crazier, knowing where he was going with this.

“Justin, the mask…take it off!”

Justin pulled off the mask; his hair fell around him like a cloud of golden silk. His eyes bore into Brian, the passion making him look wild and untamed. “I’m going to fuck you till you scream!”

“Jesus…you’re killing me…”

“Say, please, master.”

“Master, please, fuck me…I need you inside me,” Brian’s voice broke, begging Justin in a voice now raw with passion. “Shove that cock inside of me.”

“Who’s your master?”

“You are!”

“Who do you belong to?”

“You, only you, always you…”

“You’re so mine, Brian,” Justin gasped, his breathing shifting suddenly.

And even when Brian thought he had a second to try and wrestle some control over this, he was assaulted by the strong push as Justin rammed into him, catching the perfect angle on his first try, grazing Brian’s prostate and pulling that scream out of Brian’s throat that he was working so hard for.

Brian moved to meet each thrust of the blond hovering over him. He looked primal in the dim light, his piercing blue eyes holding Brian’s gaze intently. Both men were empowered by the desire on each other’s face. It was naked and unmasked…a force neither one could ever control. The sight of Brian with his mouth slightly open and his eyes almost rolling back were such a turn on for Justin, the groans and whimpers adding to the thrill. Justin’s universe was centered around the velvet vice gripping his cock, the rutting of their hips, the pinch of clenched fingers grabbing at his arms. Both of them were completely caught up in the moment and just as Brian was about to come, and Justin felt his entire body clench, he tightened the noose around Brian’s neck and held it for a few seconds, cutting off Brian’s air supply, even as the waves flooded over them and Brian went rigid, his breath caught in his orgasm. Explosions of light went off in the back of his head, rivaling every firework he’d seen in his sixty years. And the noose was loosened, little by little, allowing the air to move back into his lungs and the pleasure crashed into him, a feeling so intense that he almost passed out.

Justin collapsed. His breath moved in and out of him in spurts, but he pushed himself up once more to check on Brian to see if his breathing was normal and his color perfect, and when he saw that all was well, he lay his head back down on Brian’s chest and sighed.

“Whoa…” Brian finally managed to croak out, barely able to talk.

“That would be, whoa, Master…”

“Jesus, Sunshine…thank you,” Brian whispered.

Justin raised his head and stared into Brian’s eyes. The love that radiated out of the hazel orbs was humbling, coaxing tears to fall down his cheeks automatically. “I love you,” he whispered, finding the words so inadequate. “You have no idea how much.”

“You never stop showing me.”

 

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

  
Author's notes: **Same warnings and acknowledgements as the previous chapter.  This is the last scene in the BDSM arc.**   


* * *

**Chapter 19**

****Brian and Justin were lying in bed, practically floating on their orgasmic high. Justin was elated that he’d given Brian such a good experience.

“I could really get into this scene, if I had you for a dom,” Brian said, grinning at Justin and playing with his hair.

Justin was on his side and he lifted up slightly and rested his head on his hand, soaking up the look on Brian’s face. He looked so content. It was nice to know that he still had the power to bring him that kind of pleasure after so many years. “You know this isn’t our thing. Never has been.”

“I know. Your little scarfing trick was a pleasant surprise though.”

“I still have a few of those up my sleeve.”

“I’ve noticed. So, tell me about Kain.”

“He was training to be a dom when I met him. It was a million years ago, at some seedy leather bar in Chelsea.”

“You don’t even like leather.”

“I know! I was with a group and we were all bored. He ended up blowing me in the backroom.”

“Was he any good?”

Justin laughed. “I honestly can’t remember.”

“You’d never forget one of my blowjobs, would you?”

“You’re pretty hard to forget, Mr. Kinney.”

“You too,” Brian smiled, reaching up and pulling Justin towards him. They kissed deeply, moaning into each other. “So, did you go out with him?”

“One of the guys in our group was into the whole D/S scene. He thought I might get into it too, because of my penchant for spanking.”

Brian smiled at him. “You always did enjoy that.”

“That’s all I like, Brian. Everything else about the scene is a little too weird for me.”

“Like what?”

“The whole mindset. I don’t have the need to have that kind of control over anyone, nor do I understand the opposite. To submit so profoundly to another’s will isn’t something I’d ever get off on.”

“Did your friend end up doing it?”

“He did. Kain ended up being his dom, and he’d come home from the club and tell me all about it. The group thought I should train to be a dom.”

“Cause you’re bossy as fuck?”

“Shut up.”

Brian laughed at that statement. “Didn’t he realize you’re already a closet dom?”

“Be quiet,” Justin said, nuzzling Brian’s neck.

Brian wrapped his arms around his partner and squeezed. “You’re the bossiest bottom I know. But I can’t see you becoming a dom. You’d have to be into the whole pain and domination thing, which you aren’t.”

“He found that out quickly enough. I told him I wasn’t interested, so we just remained friends. My roommate was his contracted sub for at least a year.”

“I could never get into that,” Brian stated. “It was always about the challenge for me. How fun can it be if someone is willing to submit so easily?”

“Is that how I held your interest? By being challenging?”

“Among other things,” Brian smiled. “And now that my kink is out of the way, Master Taylor, it’s your turn. What’s your pleasure?” Brian asked, slowly coming to life again, thanks to the brief respite, the tray of cold cuts and of course, the little blue pill.

Incredibly Justin blushed and looked away.

“Sunshine? What do you want to do?”

“I want to play out a scene.”

“We can do that. Tell me exactly what you want.”

He bent forward and whispered in Brian’s ear, and the Kinney smile flashed bright as he wrapped his arms around his partner of thirty years.

**********

They were in the dungeon of the club. This was the place where members could carry out whatever fantasy they chose. Each room was equipped like a theater, with furnishings and costumes catering to any particular kink. There was an office scenario, a school room, a hospital setting, a strip club, complete with dancing pole, a prison cell, a police station, a leather bar, a bondage room…each one enclosed by four walls. There were at least ten different rooms with a varied assortment of toys and outfits to choose from. Justin and Brian had separated to get ready for their new roles. Now, half an hour later, they were ready.

Justin leaned against a brick wall, dressed in blue jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers. He chewed on his lower lip, looking around in the dark, waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly Brian appeared, dressed in blue jeans as well, a white shirt loosely covering a black wife-beater. He looked younger, thanks to the can of spray dye that he used to darken the gray in his hair. That, plus the lighting, did wonders for his look, giving the illusion of a hot forty-year-old, rather than a distinguished man of sixty. He strolled up to Justin, looking him up and down, and he smiled and said, “How’s it going? Had a busy night?”

“Just checking out the bars, you know. Boy Toy, Meat Hook.”

“Meat Hook, really?” Brian stared at Justin and smiled. “So, you’re into leather?”

“Sure.”

“Where are you headed?”

“No place special.”

“I can change that.”

“Can you?”

Brian’s face shifted, his smile was warm and sexy and Justin was as captivated tonight as he was thirty years ago. He kissed Justin’s neck and ran his hands all over his body before resting them firmly on his ass. “Let’s pop into Meat Hook.”

“Okay.”

They walked down the hallway, stopping in front of a room that looked like a bar. Brian walked around the wooden counter and pulled out a bottle and two shot glasses. “Drink?”

Justin nodded his head and took the glass from him. He downed it in one gulp.

Brian leaned across the counter and played with Justin’s collar, running his fingers underneath it, ending up with his hand resting on Justin’s shoulder. “You want to check out the toys at Meat Hook?”

“Sure.”

“Have you ever done this before?”

“Uhh, not exactly. This is sort of my first time.”

“I thought so. Everyone has a first time though, and I’m going to make yours unforgettable.”

Brian stepped out from behind the bar and took Justin by the hand. They walked down the hallway and stepped into another room that had a St. Andrew’s cross and a spanking bench.

“What’s this?” Justin asked, pointing to the bench.

“It’s a special bench.”

“What do you do with it?”

“Take off your clothes and I’ll show you.”

“All of them?” Justin asked.

“Yes,” Brian answered, pulling off his own shirt and undershirt. He stood and watched as Justin struggled with his clothes.

Justin hesitated, looking at Brian questioningly.

“Well? Are you coming or going?”

“I’m coming…”

“I’m not very good at waiting.” Brian said, watching Justin finally peel off the last layer of clothing.

Brian moved closer to Justin. He could feel the tension in his partner’s body; see his arousal as they stood inches away from each other. Justin’s cock slowly filled and lengthened, making Brian want to reach out and touch. Instead, he whispered in Justin’s ear, licking at him gently, “You have a beautiful cock.”

“Thank you.”

“Has anyone ever sucked on it before?”

Justin whimpered and closed his eyes, practically holding his breath as Brian’s hand traveled south. He cupped Justin’s balls, feeling their weight, kneading them gently. “I have to taste you.”

“Please…”

“Please?”

“Oh, God…”

Brian sank to his knees, running his hands down Justin’s flanks, squeezing his ass gently, his face inches away from the prize. He blew a warm breath and watched as Justin’s cock twitched in response. “Tell me what you want, Newbie.”

“I want you to put me in your mouth.”

“Like this?” Brian asked, swallowing Justin to the hilt and then pulling out quickly. “Or like this?” he asked, sucking on each ball, rolling them around his tongue, listening as Justin whimpered and his legs started to buckle.

“I guess either way would work,” Brian chuckled, holding Justin up. He was staring down at Brian with a desperate look on his face.

“For God’s sake, Brian, don’t stop!”

“You’ll have to ask nicer than that.”

“Please, sir, don’t stop.”

Brian stood and grabbed Justin by the neck, pulling him up to his chest, kissing him all over his face. “I need to hear you beg.”

“What?”

“I need to hear you scream and ask for more.”

“You get off on that?”

“You bet.”

Justin moaned and pressed his forehead to Brian’s chest. “I can beg with the best of them.”

“Good. Lie down on the bench.”

“What are you going to do?”

“First, I’m going to rim you.”

“Rim?”

“Hasn’t anyone ever done that before?”

“I’m not sure.”

Brian smiled, unable to control himself. He loved how Justin was completely caught up in this role, acting like a vestal virgin. It made him nostalgic, and even hornier, if that were possible.

“Well, I’m going to be your first, but, if I hear a sigh or a moan or if you dare to come, you’ll be punished.”

“How?”

“I’ll stop what we’re doing.”

“Fuck.”

“Maybe later…right now, I need to eat out your ass.”

Brian…”

“What did you just call me?”

“Sir.”

“Are you having second thoughts, Newbie?”

“No, but don’t I get safe words?”

“I thought you were new at this?”

“I’m well read,” Justin replied, trying very hard not to laugh.

Brian grinned, infected by Justin’s humor. “You’re bossy.”

“That’s what my little sister says.”

“Okay, pick your safe words.”

“Stop and go?”

“Come on. You can do better than that.”

“Fine. When I say no, I mean yes, and when I urge you on, I mean stop.”

“What?”

“Let’s see how smart you really are, mister, what’s-your-name again?”

“Kinney,” Brian smirked.

“Right, Kinney. Did you get that straight?”

“When you tell me to stop, you really want me to fuck the hell out of you, and when you’re screaming for me to keep on going you want me to walk away. How’s that smarty pants?”

“Sounds good. Shall we get on with this?”

“You’re doing it again.”

“What?”

“Being fucking bossy as hell. You need a good paddling to make you submit.”

“No.”

“On the bench.”

“Now?”

“Right this minute, facing down please. Now, I’ll give you a choice of paddles. Flat, studded, wood or leather?”

“Jesus.”

“No, he’s not an option.”

“Uhh, which hurts less?”

“I think the flat, wooden one.”

“Then I want to try the leather.”

“You’re a weird kid, you know that?”

“I just want to get laid, like everyone else.”

Brian cracked up, trying to control his laughter, but losing the battle.  
He walked over to the cabinet and pulled out the paddles, settling on a black one with soft leather padding. He knelt down beside Justin’s head and said, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, get up, then.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you just say yes, which really means no?”

“Oh fuck!”

“Make up your mind, kid.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s start over.”

“I thought you were so smart?”

“Apparently, not as smart as you.”

“So who’s the dom now, little pet?”

“You are,” Justin acknowledged.

“And what’s your safe word going to be?”

“Red.”

“When you say red, I’ll stop, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, turn over and hug the bench. Oh, pet?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want you to come.”

“But, Brian,” Justin started to whine.

Brian slammed the paddle down on the bench and said forcefully, “You will address me as Master, or this is over.”

“Yes, Master,” Justin whimpered, his hard-on clearly apparent.

“You’ll come when I tell you to, not before.”

“But what happens if I do…Master?”

“No sex for a week.”

“A week?”

“Why do you keep repeating everything I say? Didn’t you tell me you scored off the charts on your SAT’s?”

“I’m sorry, sir.”

“You’d better be! Now, turn over!”

Justin flipped over like a dolphin in an aquarium. Brian had never seen a more eager sub. He shook his head and smiled, getting ready to bring down the paddle. But before he did, he rubbed his hand all over Justin’s ass, moving down in between his legs, playing with his balls, lingering over his hole. He bent down and started licking at the tender pink skin, prodding gently with his tongue. He could feel Justin squirming underneath him.

“Uhh, Master sir, red sir.”

“I haven’t even started yet,” Brian’s smile was wicked. He was having way too much fun with this.

“Please sir,” Justin whimpered. “Would you just hit me, so I can concentrate on something else?”

“Very well,” Brian said, standing up and bringing down the paddle with a forceful thwack. Justin jumped and moaned at the same time. Brian smacked him one more time, and then one more after that. Justin’s ass was a lovely, rosy color, his reddened flesh a beacon for Brian as he smoothed the tender skin with a soft hand, relishing the heat and the moans that were coming from Justin’s throat. His own erection pressed tightly against his leg, and he unzipped his pants and pulled out his cock. “You’re making me hard, pet.”

Justin whimpered, rutting slowly against the bench. “I’m happy you’re happy, Master.”

“Look at me, pet,” Brian said, as he stood over Justin, playing with himself.

“Oh-my-God,” were the only words Justin could manage as he watched Brian stroking on his cock. “Please, sir. Don’t do that.”

Brian squatted beside Justin and pressed a cheek to his hot skin. It had been over twelve hours since he’d shaved and by now his skin was like a fine sand paper, scorching Justin with each rub.

“Have you had enough yet?”

“I’m fine, so long as you don’t jerk off in front of me.”

“But that’s the whole point, Newbie. You need to be tested.”

“Fuck,” Justin answered, closing his eyes. “Very well,” he opened them, a determined look in his eyes. “Do what you have to do.”

“I want you to watch me, okay?”

“Okay,” Justin said, paling as he sat up and straddled the bench.

Brian was about four feet in front of him, leaning on his elbow, one leg straight out, the other bent. He was pulling on his cock, watching Justin the whole time. “Talk to me, Newbie. Tell me what you want to do to me.”

“No,” Justin begged. “Just hurry up and get on with this.”

“Don’t tell me you need your safe word already?” Brian asked, raising an eyebrow, all the while tugging on his erect penis.

“No, sir…I can take this.”

“Talk to me, pet. Tell me what you’re going to do when you finally get your chance.”

“I want you in my mouth so badly I can taste you.”

“Oh really?” Brian ran his thumb over his cockhead which was slick with precum and he moved over to Justin and said, “Suck on my finger.”

“Sir,” Justin groaned, shutting his eyes as Brian forced his thumb into Justin’s mouth. He twirled his tongue around Brian’s thumb like it was a popsicle.

“That’s wonderful, pet. You’re making me so hard,” Brian said, looking down at Justin’s cock which was distended in front of him. “You want to use your safe word yet?”

“No!”

“Okay…don’t get testy.”

“Sir, I’m fucking dying here!”

“Whoa! Disrespectful! On your stomach!”

Justin turned over and lay on the bench, hanging on for dear life. He was just about at the end of his self-control, having been in this state of permanent arousal for at least half an hour. He knew he wasn’t going to make it much longer but he wanted to try to stretch out the game as long as possible, giving them both maximum pleasure.

“I think you need one more smack for being disrespectful.”

“Yes, sir, whatever you say, Master, sir.”

Brian’s hand came down again, marking Justin’s ass, turning it a lovely shade of pink. Brian couldn’t stand another second of this so he put his mouth up against Justin’s ass and started to rim him.

“No, no, please, sir, don’t do that!”

“What’s the matter, boy? Can’t stand the heat?”

“Oh, holy fuck, sir, I think I’m going to have to say red!”

“Did I hear the red word?”

“Yes, fuck, please sir, red, I need to come. Oh, God, red!”

“Hold on boy. I need to get ready.”

“Sir, please,” Justin broke down, whimpering pitifully. “I can’t wait much longer.”

“How do you want it, Newbie? Up the ass, or down the throat?”

“Oh fuck…choices, I hate choices…”

“And I hate waiting,” Brian said, shoving his cock into Justin’s ass without another word.

“Sir!” he screamed, clenching around Brian’s cock and moving his right hand back to grab hold of Brian, trying to pull him closer.

“Hang in there, boy.”

Brian lifted Justin up on all fours, never pausing, each thrust pulling a grunt out of him and a sigh out of Justin.

“Master…please, I need to come.” Justin was practically sobbing, his self-control shut down, turning him into a begging wreck.

“Hang on one…more…minute,” Brian huffed, pressing his head down on Justin’s shoulder. He moved his hand to grip Justin’s cock which was thick and heavy, at the brink of an orgasm that was long held off. Brian wrapped his fingers around him and started to pump in perfect sync with the movement of his hips and they both got off at the same time in an explosion of wet heat.

“Fucking Christ,” Justin moaned, arching his back as Brian hung on, pushing himself even deeper, and riding the wave of the perfect orgasm that swept through them. He felt Justin’s ass tightening and pulsing around his cock, milking every drop, and he let out a primal scream that came from somewhere deep inside, claiming his mate, marking him with a bite on his shoulder and with a shudder he growled, “Mine,” as Justin spilled his seed all over Brian’s hand.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

  
Author's notes: No more warnings.  BDSM arc is over.  This fic will be ending at Chapter 23.  


* * *

Chapter 20

Sasha heard the crying in her sleep. It woke her, and she sat up abruptly, breaking out in a cold sweat, panic-stricken all of a sudden. She looked at her wristwatch and saw that it was only four o’clock in the afternoon. She must have dozed off shortly after getting home from school.

The crying continued, coming from somewhere upstairs, and it finally dawned on her that it was Taylor. She pushed her feet into her shoes and made her way upstairs to the nursery.

She opened the door and saw that Dane had his headphones on and he was lying on the daybed that was pushed up against one of the walls. His eyes were closed and he was oblivious to anything going on around him.

Sasha moved over to peer at Taylor. He’d managed to wedge his little hand in between the bars of the crib and was stuck. His wrist was all red and his face was wet with tears.

“Oh, baby. What happened?”

She moved his hand and slowly extricated him, picking him up and rocking him until his cries subsided. She kissed him gently on the head and made sure he was calm before putting him back in bed and going over to Dane and yanking the headphones off him.

“What the fuck are you thinking?” she said, her voice filled with fear. “He could have hurt himself really badly!”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Taylor! His hand was caught in between the bars of his crib. He was crying and you didn’t even hear him!”

“Hey, chill out, sister.”

“Don’t fucking tell me to chill out! If I hadn’t been here, Taylor could have been seriously hurt!”

“You know nothing about this kid, or baby-sitting for that matter. Let it go, alright?”

“No! You are incompetent!”

“Hey, who are you to call me that? You don’t pay my salary. Just because you baby-sit once in a while, you think you’re an expert? You’re not!”

Just then, Gus walked into the room. He’d just got home from work and heard the yelling coming from upstairs.

“What’s going on?” he asked, surprised to see an agitated Sasha in Dane’s face.

“Oh, your sister thinks she’s mother-of-the-year, all of a sudden.”

“Taylor’s hand was stuck in between two slats of his crib and Dane didn’t even hear him crying!” Sasha was visibly agitated. “He was too busy listening to his for-shit music!”

“Is that true?” Gus asked, looking at Dane seriously.

“I would have heard him, eventually. It’s not like this was life- threatening or anything.”

“It could have been!” Sasha spat out.

Taylor started to cry again, the loud arguing disturbing him. Gus went over to the crib and picked him up, hugging him tight against his chest. “Shh, it’s okay, buddy. Daddy’s home.”

The crying subsided immediately and Gus looked at Dane and said, “Why don’t you just leave. I’m home and I’ve got this under control.”

“I still have an hour.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay you for the full eight hours.”

“Whatever, dude. It’s your dime.”

“And my kid, and you were careless! Sasha’s right!”

Dane shook his head and picked up his back pack. “Do you want me to come back tomorrow?”

“No!” Sasha spat out.

“Yes,” Gus said quietly. “Be here at seven, as usual.”

They watched in silence as Dane left the room. Gus looked at his sister and said, “Who’s going to watch Taylor if Dane doesn’t come tomorrow. What are you thinking?”

“I’ll watch him. I already told you I would.”

“Sasha…you’re not being very practical.”

“I need to make sure he’s safe, Gus! Dane’s an idiot!”

Gus turned to stare at his normally calm sister. She seemed panicked! Granted, Taylor’s wrist was red, clearly Dane had been negligent, however, the boy was safe and precautions would be taken to avoid future incidents. Maybe an entire new bed was in order, something he’d have to discuss with Aedan. Meanwhile, Sasha appeared inconsolable which really bothered him.

“Sweetie, I’ve got this under control, okay? I’ll take care of it.”

“I just want my… I mean, our baby safe,” she said.

“Our?”

Sasha burst into tears…

Gus enveloped her in a warm embrace. He listened to her crying, felt her slight body shaking. She seemed inconsolable, over-reacting to this incident with Dane. Her statement about Taylor had struck a cord of fear in him as it finally dawned on him that he might be holding Taylor’s mother in his arms.

“Sasha, please stop crying.”

“I can’t seem to.”

Gus moved her over to the daybed that Dane had just vacated and sat her down on it. He stepped over to the crib and saw that Taylor was content, sucking on his pacifier and holding his terry cloth chicken tightly against his chest. His eyes were already at half-mast, as he slowly drifted off into sleep.

He heard the door slam and Aedan’s voice calling for him, so he walked outside the room and down the stairs to the first floor and he embraced his partner and kissed him on the lips.

“I think we have a problem.”

“What?” Aedan asked, immediately concerned.

Gus gave him a brief summary of what had just occurred and he and Aedan looked at each other, too stunned by Sasha’s statement to know how to proceed.

“It’s impossible,” Aedan said. “How could she have pulled this off?”

“I don’t know,” Gus replied. “I can only tell you that my gut instinct is telling me that she’s the mother.”

“Well, let’s just ask her and get this over with.”

“Wait! You know that old saying, be careful what you wish for?”

“Yeah?”

“We kept hoping she’d find someone. What if she already has and he’s the father of our child?”

“Gus, legally, Taylor is ours. There’s no way that can change.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure.”

“What if you’re wrong?”

“We’ll have to deal with this either way. Let’s go and ask her.”

“Hold me first.”

They stood in the hallway, embracing each other. “Come on, Angel. We need to settle this once and for all.”

“I love you,” Gus said gently.

“Love you too.”

“I don’t want to lose him.”

“We won’t. I think you’re over-reacting as well. You both had a scare with this incident.”

They climbed up the stairs to the nursery and walked in. Sasha continued to sit on the daybed, her face awash with tears. They kept falling silently and she looked absolutely awful.

“Sash, can you come outside with us?” Aedan said gently, pulling her off the bed. She nodded her head and followed him out the door, stopping at the baby monitor and turning it on to make sure they heard Taylor.

The gesture wasn’t overlooked and both men stared at each other knowingly. All three of them made their way downstairs to the kitchen and they sat around the table, but not before Gus pulled 3 beers out of the refrigerator. He didn’t even know if Sasha drank beer, but he figured they could all use the alcohol at this point.

“Sasha, is there something you want to tell us?” Gus said, coaxing her along.

“Not really, but I think I have to.”

Gus’ stomach sank to his knees when he heard that. “He’s yours, isn’t he?”

They were sitting around the kitchen table. Gus and Aedan on one side, Sasha on the other, the unanswered question hanging over them like a thunder cloud.

“Yes.”

“Jesus Christ!” Gus stood abruptly, knocking the chair over. Sasha burst into tears again. Aedan took Gus’ hand and slowly pulled him back down. He never let go of him but he reached out to Sasha, laying his other hand in front of her, hoping she’d take it, and she did. She grabbed onto Aedan without a second thought.

“I’m so sorry,” she began, her voice barely a whisper. “I beg you both to forgive me.”

Gus’ eyes shimmered as he looked at his sister. She seemed to have shrunk, her stature diminishing quickly in front of him. The confident young woman he’d known her to be for most of her life was gone and in her place sat a young girl who looked scared and vulnerable. His anger left him almost as abruptly as it surged and his basic goodness took over. His love for Sasha was deep-seated and it broke his heart to see her like this.

He stood again and moved over to her side and gently made her stand up. He wrapped his arms around her and they both started to cry, his tears joining hers without shame. Aedan was overcome as well, his grief was more for his partner and the fact that they would most likely lose the little boy who had come to mean so much to them. He stood and moved towards Gus, taking him in his arms. Sasha stood by herself and he pulled her close, embracing her as well, and all three of them wept.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the tears were finally spent.

All three of them moved into the living room where it was more comfortable and they sat on the sofa, Sasha in between the two men.

“We need to make some decisions,” Aedan said, ever the practical one.

“I know,” Sasha responded, taking a huge gulp of beer.

“Are you going to take him away from us?” Gus asked, the tears creeping back into his eyes.

“No,” Sasha replied, emphatic about her decision.

“No?” Aedan was surprised and delighted, although a part of him was dubious.

“I made many wrong decisions when I found out I was pregnant, but choosing you and Aedan to be Taylor’s adoptive fathers was not one of them.”

“Why did you pick us?” Gus asked. “You could have had your mother, or any of your fathers raise him, if you didn’t want to raise him yourself.”

“I picked you and Aedan because I love you both and I know that Taylor will be in good hands. Furthermore, you’re gay, and will most likely never have another chance to have a child, unless you choose to have a surrogate. You’ve never talked about that, so I didn’t think you’d be interested in having a baby that way.”

“Sweetie, we never talked about having a family at all. We’ve only been married for four years.”

“Were you planning on having a kid?” she asked, surprised at Gus’ statement.

“I honestly don’t know. At the time, it never crossed my mind. Now that we’ve had this time with Taylor, I can see us having more children.”

“More?” Aedan said, looking delighted.

“It’s a thought,” Gus said, smiling at his partner.

“Who would you pick as a surrogate?” Sasha asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve never really thought this through until now.”

“Getting back to Taylor,” Aedan said, “Are we going to retain legal rights?”

“You will, if you are willing to give me joint custody, and put me down as his mother on the birth certificate.”

“That’s a big step, Sasha. Are you ready to proclaim him as yours?”

“Yes.”

“What’s changed?”

“I love him. The thought of him growing up, not knowing who his mother is, wondering why he was abandoned, is unbearable. I can’t do that to him.”

“What do you mean when you say you want joint custody? Will you be taking him away, physically? If not,” Gus asked, “How would we share him?”

“Right now, I’m not in a position to take him anywhere,” Sasha said. “But it won’t always be like that. I’ll have my degree in three years. I’ll have a job and hopefully be able to provide him with a home, a room of his own. We could share him, the way you and I were shared by our parents. Don’t you think?” Sasha asked Gus.

“I survived, and obviously, you did too. I don’t think it will be a problem,” Gus said. “Do you?” he addressed the question to Aedan.

“No, not if we have clear guidelines.”

“We can work those out, don’t you think, Gus?” Sasha asked, looking hopeful for the first time in almost two years.

Gus grabbed Sasha’s hand and squeezed it gently. “I think so,” he said, smiling at his half-sister.

“Thank you,” she said, the relief and gratitude so apparent in her facial expression. She embraced Gus and then turned to Aedan. “Thank you, thank you,” she said, over and over again.

“There’s one very important thing we need to discuss first,” Gus stated.

“What’s that?” Sasha asked, holding her breath.

“Who’s his biological father?”

“I was afraid you’d ask me that.”

“I need to know the truth, Sasha. No more lies.”

Sasha sighed and leaned her head back on the sofa. She chewed on her lip and ran her hand through her hair, all the while trying to make a decision. Gus and Aedan waited patiently, but were not going to let her get away without telling them the truth.

“Very well,” she said, sitting up with that determined look again. “I’ll tell you who he is, but you must promise me that you’ll do nothing to try and contact him. He has no idea that Taylor exists. As far as he knows, the child was aborted.”

“I see,” Gus said, though clearly, he didn’t. “Who is he?”

“Your cousin.”

“Excuse me?” Gus said, looking absolutely stunned. “What cousin?”

“His name is Mark Bauer and he’s Claire Kinney’s third son.”

“Holy fucking shit!”

“Gus!” Aedan said, looking at his partner and rolling his eyes. “Calm down.”

“Calm down? Taylor is a Kinney, in the true sense of the word. He really is a blood relation.”

“Yeah, so?” Aedan said. “Does it make a difference in any way?”

“No, I guess not,” Gus said, now that the initial shock had worn off. “I didn’t even know I had a third cousin.”

“Apparently, no one did. He was a secret that your aunt Claire chose not to share with us.”

“And he knows nothing about Taylor’s existence?”

“Nothing.”

“Why’s that?”

Sasha told them as briefly as possible about her affair with Mark. She was painfully blunt, sparing no details, being as hard on herself as she was on Mark. When she was done, both men looked at her as if she were a complete stranger.

“Wow, there’s a whole side to you I know nothing about,” Gus said.

“I suppose that’s my fault.”

“No, it’s not. It’s mine, for taking everything at face value and not bothering to delve deeper.”

“I’m not exactly that easy to delve into,” she replied sarcastically.

“Don’t I know it? But listen, Sasha, are you still in love with this guy?”

“I guess there’s a part of me that is. You don’t forget your first love.”

“Or the father of your child,” Aedan interjected. “Let me play devil’s advocate here. What if you hook up with him again? What if, years down the road, the romance is rekindled? Are you ever going to tell him about Taylor?”

“Two years ago I would have given you a definite and resounding, no. Since then, I’ve come to realize that life isn’t that black and white. Shit happens and things change. I can’t tell you what I’m going to do when it comes to him, but I can promise you and Gus one thing, and on this I give you my word. Our arrangements for Taylor will never change. You and Gus will remain his legal fathers, no matter what.”

“I’d like that in writing,” Aedan said, ever the practical one.

“You’ll have it.”

“Okay, one last item and then let’s break this up,” Gus said. “What about the family? We have to tell them.”

“I know,” Sasha said. “My parents will shit!”

“Maybe so, but it has to be done. I want everything out in the open. Dad and DJ will freak as well, especially when DJ finds out he’s a grandfather.”

Sasha looked at Gus and just nodded her head. She didn’t dare tell him that Brian and Justin already knew. That would open up a whole new set of problems and she couldn’t deal with anymore at this time. Her head was close to exploding.

“I’ll set up a meeting,” Aedan said.

“Can we wait until after Sorina’s debut? I’d hate to spoil that with my news.”

“When is it again?”

“Next weekend.”

“Okay, we’ll wait.”

Gus stood and so did Aedan, leaving Sasha on the sofa. She looked up and said, “Before you go, I have one request.”

“What’s that, sweetie?”

“I want you to fire Dane.”

Aedan looked at Gus and smiled. “I think we can arrange that,” he said.

“Far out,” Sasha replied.

Gus looked at his partner and his sister and grinned. “You two are in cahoots.”

 

TBC  



	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Brian and Justin were on their way home from their night of fun and games. They stayed until eight in the morning, but they were pretty much done after the scene in the dungeon. They’d gone back to the gray room and passed out, getting a few hours of sleep before waking up to the smell of coffee and croissants, courtesy of the amazing cook employed by Club Tumescence. Both were replete, satisfied with everything that had occurred in the last ten hours.

“We’ve turned into a pair of wimps,” Brian said, looking over at Justin.

“How’s that?”

“We didn’t use up the whole twelve hours.”

“I guess not, but I’d be glad to blow you on the way home, drag this out to the last drop.”

“I don’t think I have the strength,” Brian replied. “I’m getting too old for this shit.”

“You’ll never be too old. I have a feeling you’re going to die in the saddle.”

“That would be amazing! To have a massive heart attack while you’re riding my cock. I couldn’t think of a better way to die.”

“You’d better start eating more bacon.”

“Why’s that?”

“Your fucking cholesterol level is lower than mine! I’m going to have a heart attack long before you ever will.”

“Okay, shall we stop at the diner?”

“I don’t think so. I’d rather go home, call the cook, and tell him to make you eggs and bacon. We better get right on this death wish of yours.”

Brian looked over at Justin and grinned at him. His hair was still dark from the hair dye and he didn’t look a day over fifty. “I love you,” he said.

“I know,” Justin smiled back. “I can’t imagine having a life without you in it. When we were playing that scene earlier, I thought how different things could have turned out if you hadn’t come up to me that night.”

“I know. It was Kismet.”

“No, Brian. Karma.”

“Same difference.”

Justin laughed and grabbed Brian’s hand and kissed it. “I love you, Master.”

“Me too, pet. I kind of like that name. Shall I call you that from now on?”

“God, no!”

They both laughed out loud, just as the phone started to ring.

“Kinney,” he picked up quickly.

“Dad, it’s Gus.”

“I know, Sonny Boy.”

“We have news.”

“Oh, really?”

“It’s about Taylor.”

“Oh?”

“We need to talk.”

“Go ahead and talk.”

“No, we want to do it in person. Can you send the plane?”

“Sure.”

Brian hung up and looked at Justin. “I do believe the shit’s hit the fan.”

“She told them?”

“Looks like it. What do you think we should do now?”

“How about nothing?”

“If Gus and Aedan find out we’ve known for quite some time, they’ll stop talking to us.”

“How will they find out? Obviously, Sasha hasn’t said a word or he’d have been screaming on the phone.”

“True.”

“I say we play dumb.”

“I’m much better at that than you are, so let me do the talking, okay?

“You think I can’t lie?” Justin asked indignantly.

“I know you can’t!”

“Brian, we’re not lying anyway, we’re just omitting a truth.”

“Remind me about that the next time you ask me if I’ve been smoking.”

“You’re not!”

Brian started laughing. “No, I’m not, but that’s how fucked up your statement is. If I’d been caught with a cigarette in hand and you asked me point blank how come I didn’t tell you I was smoking again and I said I was just omitting a truth, you think that would fly?”

“Probably not, but that’s completely different. We had to protect Sasha’s privacy and her confidence. I couldn’t very well break that trust.”

“And what about Gus’ trust in us? You think he won’t be pissed if he finds out we’ve known all along?”

“I can’t think right now. I have a headache.”

“We can use that line.”

“Be quiet.”

“I mean it! We can say that you’ve been having migraines and I’ve been preoccupied with your health.”

“Oh, puleese! Don’t you think you can come up with something better?”

“Let’s just go with saying nothing. He’s not going to ask us if we know, so long as you act surprised. Remember, you’re about to find out that Taylor is your grandson. You need to put on your best drama queen hat and give them a show.”

“Why would I have a meltdown?”

“You’re a fucking grandfather for Christ’s sake! I just spent all night fucking a grandpa.”

Justin busted out laughing. “That does sound pretty disgusting, doesn’t it?”

“With a capital D.”

“I hate to remind you, but you’re the one who’s old enough to be a grandfather.”

“Changing subject now.”

Justin looked over at Brian and grinned. “A very hot and sexy grandfather.”

“Stop!”

Justin scooted down on the seat and closed his eyes. “Wake me up when we’re home.”

“Hey, no fair!”

“This grandpa needs his beauty rest.”

Brian continued to drive and wonder how this was going to play itself out. Gus didn’t seem upset, so they must have worked out some kind of arrangement regarding Taylor, sharing him somehow. They’d probably want Melanie to draw up some new papers and so that would involve more people knowing.

He hoped that Sasha had come clean about everything, including Mark, but somehow he doubted it. Gus was far too calm.

************

Gus and Aedan unstrapped their seat belts as soon as the plane took off. They had decided to leave Taylor with Sasha and meet with Brian and Justin on their own. They figured that the fewer people involved at this point, the better. Eventually, after Sorina’s debut and the family dinner that was planned, it would all be out in the open.

It was around four in the afternoon after a very long and traumatic day. Aedan held a glass of white wine in his hand and Gus was at the bar, pouring some Vodka over ice.

He raised his glass at his partner and said, “To the mother of our child.”

Aedan smiled and raised his as well, and they both took sips before moving over to the leather sofa alongside one wall of the plane.

“I can’t believe that she managed to go through all of that on her own.”

“She’s definitely a surprise, wouldn’t you say?”

Gus nodded and took another sip.

“Do you think she’ll keep her word and not try and take him away?”

“I’m sure she will. Sasha and I are used to this. My dad’s shared custody of me for years. I’d commute to Britin every summer and spend three months with them, holidays were always a shared event, and the rest of the time I lived with my mothers. The twins were at Britin every other weekend during summer holidays with dad and DJ. It’s something we’re all accustomed to and don’t find unusual at all.”

“I think it’s quite admirable, and frankly, I think it’s great that Taylor will have a woman’s influence in his life. It’s important to have both parents, if at all possible.”

“I’m just happy for Sasha. I think that coming clean will make a huge difference in her outlook. What should Taylor call her?”

“That’s really up to her, Gus. She can make that decision.”

“Were you serious about wanting more kids?”

“I’ve thought about it,” Aedan replied. “Would you want another child?”

“I wouldn’t mind having a daughter. I loved playing with the twins when they were little.”

“Well, I couldn’t guarantee a girl, but it’s certainly worth hoping for.”

“Who would carry the baby?”

“You think she’d do it again?”

“Who?”

“Sasha?”

“Wow, I never even thought of that. You think that’s why she mentioned it?”

“Maybe she wants Taylor to have a sibling and since there’s no man in her life, I’d be the next best choice.”

“Yeah, it would have to be you, cause I sure as hell couldn’t do it.”

“Gus, you are not a blood relative of hers.”

“I’m aware, Aedan, it would just be too weird. Can you imagine when people ask, who’s the mother of your child? Oh, my sister….fuck, they’d think we were a bunch of deviants.”

“Hardly that,” Aedan said with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s going to be hard enough to explain Taylor.”

“Why? All you have to say is that we have legally adopted your sister’s son and are sharing custody with her. People won’t even think twice about it. Happens all the time. We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with, Gus. We could find a complete stranger and have her surrogate.”

“No. I don’t want that either. It only makes sense to have Sasha, if she’ll do it. That way the baby and Taylor will be true siblings.”

“Well, let’s give it a year or so. Give everyone time to get settled in this new role before we make anymore changes.”

“We should ask her though.”

“I’ll talk to her.”

“Okay.”

There was a car and driver waiting for them at the airport and they were at Britin in time for dinner. Brian and Justin had just sat down, and so Aedan and Gus joined them and they proceeded to have their first real meal of the day.

After the salad and the main course was over, Brian put his fork down and said, “So, what did you want to talk about?”

“Sasha is Taylor’s mother.”

Justin picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth and said, “Really?”

“Yeah. Aren’t you shocked?”

“I need to let it sink in, Gus.”

“What about you, Dad?”

Brian coughed and looked at Gus and then Aedan and said, “That’s a surprise.”

Gus stood up immediately and said, “You guys suck!”

Aedan looked up at him and said, “What?”

“They know!”

“Do you?” Aedan asked Brian. “How long have you known?”

“Not very long,” Brian acknowledged. “She swore us to secrecy.”

“What about what was good for me and Aedan?”

“Gus, stop queening, will you?”

“I don’t fucking, queen, dad. That’s your job!”

“Christ! Give us a break, will you? DJ and I were caught in the middle of this quagmire, hoping you guys would work it out, and it looks like you have.”

“But what if we hadn’t?”

“Are we going to play the ‘what if’ game?”

Aedan tugged at Gus’ hand and he reluctantly sat back down. He leaned over and kissed him behind the ear and said, “It’s okay. Lighten up a little.”

“Whatever,” Gus said sullenly. “I want another drink, please.”

“What are you having?” Brian asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Vodka.”

“I’ll get right on that,” Brian stood and went to the bar on the side of the room and made his son another shot of Vodka on ice.

“Gus, we’re really sorry we didn’t say anything,” Brian said, handing Gus his drink. “Believe me when I tell you we were plenty shocked when we found out. Our biggest concern was that she’d take him away and you and Aedan would be hurt. But, it looks like you’ve worked something out. Right?”

“Yeah. No thanks to you!”

“Look, Sonny Boy. This isn’t about us any more. This is between you and Sasha. Justin and I are going to play the role of doting grandparents. We really have no say in whatever decision the three of you arrive at.”

“D, he really is your grandson.”

“I know…it’s a little overwhelming, isn’t it? To know that my DNA is in that kid?”

“That’s why he’s so special.”

“Thank you, Aedan. But his mother is very special as well.”

“Well, since you know everything, I suppose you know who his father is, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Brian answered somberly.

“What the fuck, dad!”

Brian stood and started pacing. “I could have lied and said I don’t have a clue, but I’m tired of this. We found out who he was when Sasha told us that she was the mother. I did some investigating on my own. He’s your cousin, Gus. Someone we knew nothing about. I had no idea he even existed!”

“Sasha told us who he is. I want to meet him.”

“What’s the point?”

“To find out what kind of asshole would walk away from his kid.”

“Gus, he has no idea he’s got a child.”

“Didn’t he participate in the conception? Last time I checked, it takes two to make a baby?”

“Stop it!”

“Fuck!”

Gus turned abruptly and left the room. Aedan stood and said, “You guys should have said something. We’re the ones that stand to lose the most. I can see why he’s so upset.”

“I do too, Aedan, but like I said, we were caught in the middle. See if you can’t calm him down.”

Aedan stood and went to find Gus. He was lying on the bed in the room that had been designated as his years ago; the only difference was that now he had a king-sized bed, instead of a double. The décor had changed as well, with the progression of time and his age.

“Angel.”

“Aed.”

Aedan got into bed and took Gus in his arms. Both men were fully clothed but they’d toed off their shoes and they lay there, listening to each other breath until finally, Gus said, “Sorry for the drama.”

“I understand why you’re angry.”

“They should have said something.”

“I think they agree, but they were sort of stuck, you know?”

“What the fuck are we going to do about this Mark person?”

“Nothing.”

“Ignore him? What if he turns up in a few months, or next year and says give me my kid?”

“Gus, he has no rights. His name is nowhere on the birth certificate. It would take time and money and a lot of effort for any court to give him any kind of custody, and considering how easily he dismissed Sasha, I doubt that he’d be remotely interested in being a part of Taylor’s life.”

“Still, I think I’d feel better meeting him, at least. I’d like to know what we’re dealing with.”

“I’m pretty sure that Brian could set it up, if that’s what you really want.”

“Don’t you?”

“Not really. I just want that legal document signed by Sasha. After that, I’ll stop worrying.”

“God, this is such a mess, isn’t it?”

“It’s not simple, for sure. But he’s so worth it, don’t you think?”

“He’s our son.”

“Exactly. So we need to fight for him and make sure that the contract is iron-clad.”

“Alright. We’ll go see Mama tomorrow, get it all sorted out.”

“Are you going to pout all night long?” Aedan asked, kissing Gus around his ear and down his neck.

“This is the first time I’ve ever wished that there was an easier way for us to have kids.”

“Nothing worth having comes easy, Angel.”

“I know…it’s just that straight people don’t realize how lucky they are. Anyone can have a baby, whether they’re qualified or not. And when they have an unwanted or inconvenient pregnancy they think nothing of getting rid of it. If they only knew how difficult it is for gay couples to have a family they would appreciate their good fortune more.”

“Such dark thoughts…are you having any regrets about our lifestyle?”

“Never!”

“Good, because difficult or not, I wouldn’t trade my life with you for all the babies in the world. I love kids, Gus. Taylor has brought nothing but joy into our lives, but I love you above all else.”

“I know you do, and I love you too. I just wish that I could pop out a kid whenever I felt like it.”

“That would be a real problem.”

“Why?”

“Cause then I wouldn’t have this wonderful body to make love to.”

Gus rolled over and ended up lying on Aedan. “This body is in need of some serious TLC.”

“I can tell,” Aedan said softly, feeling Gus’ arousal pressing urgently against him.

“I want you,” Gus said, in a deepening voice that signaled emotions that seemed to spike all of a sudden. His hands roamed urgently, slipping underneath Aedan’s shirt, massaging him, teasing nipples that turned into hard nubs, bending down to tongue them and bite them gently, hearing the hiss that came out of his lover’s mouth as he pinned him to the bed. “I want my cock inside that tight ass.”

Aedan answered by wrapping his arms and legs around Gus and moving against him, pulling him tightly against his chest.

“Can we get these fucking clothes off?” Gus said, pulling away, and tearing off his shirt. “I need to feel your skin, smell you, taste you,” he whispered, licking Aedan’s neck, making him squirm. “I want you moaning out my name.”

“Whatever you need, my Angel.”

They separated long enough to take off their clothes, pull the lube out of the drawer, spread a dollop on eager hands and engorged cocks and when all the prep work was done and Gus finally pushed into his partner and he moaned out Aedan’s name, the thought of babies and lifestyles no longer mattered. The only important thing was their love for each other and the commitment that grew stronger with each passing day.

************

Mark picked up the phone and scrolled through the numbers. Sasha’s number came up again, with the little heart beside it. He almost hit send, but at the last minute, he couldn’t do it.

He needed to talk to someone, Brian, specifically, before attempting to make contact. He needed advice and what better person than his uncle and her father.

He knew he was taking a risk. Brian and Justin could very well tell him to fuck off and disappear into the same place he’d been hiding for all these years. But it was a risk he was willing to take, to see her once more, and to apologize for being the biggest ass in the world.

He called Brian immediately, before he could change his mind and when he answered, he asked if he could speak with him in the next few days.

“Why don’t we wait a few days? Gus is in town with his partner.”

“Oh. Can I meet him?”

“Uhh, I guess.”

“Didn’t you tell me we’d have a lot in common?”

_More than you know, kid._

“Yeah. I’ll see what I can do. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“Okay,” Mark replied.

Brian looked at Justin and rolled his eyes. “I’m too old for all this intrigue. I feel like my life is turning into a soap opera.”

“Brian, it’s always been one. You’re just feeling it more, ‘cause now it’s about everyone else and not just you.”

“Since when are we the glue around here?”

“Since we grew up?”

“Fuck that shit!”

Justin laughed at him and said, “That’s one thing that will never change.”

“What’s that?”

“You. You always pretend you don’t give a rat’s ass, but the bottom line is that you do care and you care a lot.”

“Don’t tell anyone.”

“Hate to tell you, grandpa, but they all have your number.”

“Shit!”

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

  
Author's notes: Next week I post the final chapter of Progeny and the Karma series. I have a surprise for all my wonderful readers, so I hope you'll join me, even if it's Halloween. Let's just say that I'll be providing the candy, so make sure you come to my house, *grins*.   


* * *

Chapter 22  
  
Sasha put down the teaspoon and picked up a warm wash cloth to wipe up Taylor’s face. She’d just fed him a bowl of oatmeal and there seemed to be more oatmeal on his cheeks than anywhere else. He was almost eight-months-old and was attempting to say words, which was surprising for his age. But then again, he was her son, so of course he’d be brilliant! She laughed at the absurdity of her thoughts and she bent forward to give Taylor a big sloppy, kiss. He squealed and clapped his hands, delighting her even more.  
  
It was incredible how lighthearted she felt after letting go of the secret she’d been hiding for so long. She felt like a ten-ton weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Knowing she’d finally taken her life back into her hands, instead of walking around feeling like a victim and reacting to circumstance. The fact that Gus and Aedan had understood was a huge relief, and her gratitude to those two men knew no bounds. She was forever in their debt, for taking Taylor in the first place, loving him unconditionally, and forgiving her for her deceit.   
  
After this big trauma, she felt that she could deal with almost anything. Standing in front of her parents and sister was no longer as daunting a task as she’d thought it would be. If this revelation caused them to think any less of her, that would be their issue, not hers. She was just elated that it would soon be official and her name would be put on Taylor’s birth certificate.  
  
She wondered what he would call her. She and Sorina called Daphne, mama, and it was a word that rolled easily off her lips, so she would probably have Taylor call her that as well. She couldn’t wait for the day when she would hear him say the word. A day she never thought would ever come.  
  
Tomorrow, after she finished interviewing prospective nannies, she’d have to run to the jewelry mart and pick up the engagement ring for Ryan and Sorina. She’d promised to have it ready by Saturday and she was always good for her word. It was a lovely one carat heart-shaped diamond, with tiny pink baguettes on the band, offsetting the beauty of the solitaire. It wasn’t big, but it was perfect. Just like Sorina.  
  
She picked up Taylor and climbed the stairs to the nursery, singing one of her favorite nursery rhymes as she went. Taylor’s high-pitched squeal matched her as he tried to sing along, affected by her great mood.  
  
****************  
  
Mark walked into the living room at Britin and paused a minute when he saw Gus. He’d heard that they looked alike, but he had no idea that they could pass for twins. Gus’ look of surprise mirrored his, and they both laughed a little awkwardly when they shook hands.  
  
“I feel like I’m looking at myself,” Gus said.   
  
“The resemblance between you two is pretty uncanny,” Aedan replied.  
  
“Mark, this is Aedan, my partner.”  
  
“Pleased to meet you.”  
  
“We’re almost the same age, right?” Mark said.  
  
“I’m a few years older,” Gus replied.  
  
“So, what are you guys doing in town? I thought you lived in New York?”  
  
“Business,” Aedan answered quickly.  
  
“Do you live close by?” Gus asked.  
  
“No, I live in the Pitts. I’m here to talk to your dad.”  
  
“About what?” Gus asked, worried suddenly.  
  
“Business,” Mark replied.  
  
“With all this business talk, you’d think this was Monday instead of the weekend. Come on, Marky. Let’s go to my study, shall we?” Brian asked, latching on to Mark’s arm and pulling him along.  
  
When they got to the study, Mark sat in the leather chair in front of the desk and Brian waited for Mark to unload whatever was bothering him. He was pretty sure it had to do with Sasha but he wasn’t about to give his nephew an opening.   
  
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this; I just don’t quite know where to start.”  
  
“Why not start at the beginning?”  
  
“I’m afraid you’ll end up hating me after I’m done.”  
  
“I doubt it.”  
  
“Well, if you do, I won’t blame you. I just hope you’ll forgive me.”  
  
“Christ, Mark! Will you spill it already?”  
  
Mark started to talk. He was harder on himself than necessary, taking full responsibility for the affair, knowing that she was his student and officially underage. He made no mention of the fact that Sasha was as caught up in the attraction as he was. He simply stated that he overstepped his bounds as her teacher, however, that didn’t take away from the fact that he was most likely still in love with her and wanted to see her again.  
  
“Well, that’s certainly an earful,” Brian stated.   
  
“I’m afraid there’s more.”  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“She got pregnant.”  
  
“Oh, shit!”  
  
“Yes. It was a shock to both of us, but the part I’m still beating myself over the head for is that I didn’t step up to the plate. I forced her into having an abortion.”  
  
“No one forces Sasha to do anything she doesn’t want.”  
  
“She is pretty stubborn, isn’t she?”  
  
“She comes by it naturally, I’m afraid.”  
  
“You mean Justin?”  
  
“Yes. Do you want to see her again?”  
  
“I’d love to. I owe her a huge apology and I’d love to try and make it up somehow.”  
  
“Mark, she doesn’t live in Pittsburgh anymore.”  
  
“I know she’s at Pratt in New York.”  
  
“That’s correct.”  
  
“Well, I could always go out there to visit, that is, if you’d allow me to contact her.”  
  
“Why disrupt her life again?”  
  
“Because I have to.”  
  
“If this is about your guilt, forget about it! Guilt is a useless emotion, more suited for lesbians and drama queens. It serves no purpose whatsoever.”  
  
“It’s more than that, Brian.” Mark seemed really uncomfortable all of a sudden. It was bad enough to admit everything that had happened; he didn’t quite know how to tell Brian that he was obsessing over Sasha to the point of distraction. “I really miss her.”  
  
“What if she doesn’t want to see you again?”  
  
“I’ll take my chances. I just wanted your okay to call her.”  
  
“Look, Mark. What you did was wrong! Not falling for her, that part I understand. You can’t pick and choose who you fall in love with, and she’s a beautiful girl and smart to boot.”   
  
“She’s gorgeous.”  
  
“Yes, well, the point I’m trying to make is that you were wrong to force her to get an abortion. You should have been more responsible and given her options. You should have stood by her!” Brian’s voice was starting to rise a little and he checked himself and pulled back his anger.  
  
“I’m aware that I screwed up.”  
  
“Like big-time.”  
  
“Is she okay? Mentally, did she move on with her life?”  
  
“I can’t tell you how she is mentally. She’s hard enough to read on a normal day, let alone when she’s trying to hide something.”  
  
“Inscrutable.”  
  
“That she is, but that’s what makes her such a challenge, isn’t it?”  
  
“I guess so.”  
  
“Mark, if she’s just another challenge to you, something you have to conquer, then I suggest that you drop it and forget about her.”  
  
“It’s not like that, Brian. I love her.”  
  
“Well, you sure have a funny way of showing it.”  
  
“I told you that I screwed it all up,” Mark said. His face was contorted in pain and the tears were welling up in his eyes, turning their color into sapphire, instead of their normal denim-blue.   
  
“Hey,” Brian stood up and walked around his desk and opened up his arms. Mark stood and stepped into the embrace gladly. He’d never known this kind of support or love from either parent, so it was a welcome surprise to get it now, especially from someone who’d been vilified by his mother for years.   
  
“Hey, come on. It’s going to be okay.”  
  
“I fucked up really bad.”  
  
“Well, that wouldn’t be the first time a Kinney fucked up. Believe me; I know what I’m talking about.”  
  
“Do you?” Mark asked, pulling back and looking at Brian. “You and Justin seem so perfect for each other, so happy.”  
  
Brian burst out laughing. “Our lives have hardly been without drama! I’ve had to do my fair share of groveling over the years.”  
  
“But it was worth it, right?”  
  
“Oh, yeah, so worth it! However, don’t think it’s been a walk in the park. We’ve had to work at this. Early on in the relationship, I was the biggest jerk in the world, still suffering from the aftereffects of living with Jack and Joan, the models of parenting.”  
  
“Bad?”  
  
“You don’t even want to know. Justin had his hands full trying to get through to me.”  
  
“I guess I’m not much different.”  
  
“Apparently not. But, is Sasha willing to put up with your bullshit?”  
  
“I have no idea.”  
  
“Neither do I. All I can say is that if you love her, if you feel that your life will never be the same without her in it, then you should make the effort. Having a Taylor in your life can be the most rewarding thing in the world.”  
  
“I was so happy when we were together.”  
  
“And who’s to say that it couldn’t happen again?”  
  
Mark nodded and stepped back into Brian’s embrace.   
  
**********  
  
Melanie listened to everything that Gus and Aedan had to tell her. She was used to all kinds of revelations as a lawyer. People had no qualms about telling her their deepest, darkest secrets, knowing it would never go beyond the four walls of her office. However, today was a little different, since the secret involved family.   
  
“Well, that must have come as a shock.”   
  
“It was quite a surprise, but the good thing is that she only wants joint custody. She’s not taking him away from us.”  
  
“Do we know who the father is?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Were you planning on telling me?”  
  
“No,” Gus answered emphatically. “It’s not our secret to reveal. It’s up to Sasha, besides, whoever he is shouldn’t be relevant to our agreement. This contract is between Sasha, Aedan and myself.”  
  
“Is the father of the child aware that he’s been adopted?”  
  
“He has no idea that he even exists.”  
  
“I see.”  
  
“What? Is that a problem?” Gus asked.  
  
“It could be, if she ever tells him.”  
  
“How can he have any say in this child’s life if he isn’t even on the birth certificate?”  
  
“He’s the biological parent. If he goes to court and says that he was unaware of the child’s existence and petitions for joint or partial custody, they might look favorably on it.”  
  
“That’s not fair!” Gus said, heatedly.  
  
“Life isn’t always fair, Gus. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, I’m just giving you the worst case scenario, so you know the risk.”  
  
“We’re willing to take the chance,” Aedan said quietly. “Just draw up the new agreement and we’ll take it home tonight so Sasha can sign it.”  
  
“It needs to be notarized.”  
  
“I’ve got a notary at work. We can sign it there.”  
  
“Alright. It will be ready by the end of the day. I’ll have a messenger deliver it to Britin.”  
  
Both men stood and Gus leaned over the desk and kissed Melanie on the cheek. “Thanks, mama.”  
  
“You’re welcome, hon. I hope you know what you’re doing.”  
  
“We do,” he answered confidently. “Make sure that you put something in the contract that disqualifies the father from ever making any claims on the child. Is that possible?”  
  
“I’ll make it as airtight as I can.”  
  
“But, that’s not going to be enough, if he decides he wants him, right?”  
  
Melanie shrugged and looked at her son with a sudden sense of déjà vu. “I’ve been through this with your sister, so I know what a good lawyer and a determined father can do. It’s an eventuality you need to be prepared for. I’m not saying it will happen. I’m just telling you, so you’ll be aware of the risks.”  
  
“What if he signs the agreement as well?”   
  
“That’s different. Then you have nothing to worry about.”  
  
“You can’t tell him!” Aedan admonished.   
  
“I realize that,” Gus replied. “But we have to let Sasha know all of this. She’s under the illusion that the biological father has no right to the child.”  
  
“We’ll tell her, but I’m sure that won’t change anything. She’s adamant about Taylor’s custody arrangements,” Aedan replied.  
  
**********  
  
Sasha and Taylor were on their way to pick up Sorina’s ring. She’d spent the last hour interviewing, a task that Gus and Aedan had gladly passed on to her. They had full confidence in her ability to find someone suitable and she ended up hiring a fifty-something year old who had good references and many years of experience. She was originally from Puerto Rico but had lived in New York for years. The plus, of course, was that she spoke Spanish, so Taylor would learn that as well. After her summer in Madrid, Sasha was a firm believer in the benefits of being multilingual and any advantage she could give her child would be acted on.  
  
A tiny bell went off when she pushed the stroller through the door of the shop. Taylor looked around quickly to try and find the source of the noise that announced their arrival. An older gentleman walked out of the office in the back and smiled when he saw her.  
  
“Ahh, Sasha, my dear. Prompt as usual! And who do we have here?” he asked, bending down and ruffling Taylor’s curly brown hair.  
  
“This is my son, Taylor,” she answered proudly, smiling at the baby when she said it. This was the first time she’d said the words out loud and it felt so good.  
  
“I didn’t know you had a son, or that you were married?”  
  
“I’m not married.”  
  
“I see. Well, he’s beautiful, just like you.”  
  
“Thank you, Edgar. Is the ring ready?”  
  
“Ready and boxed. Here you go,” he passed her the small, dark blue velvet box and waited for her to open it and inspect the ring one last time.   
  
“It’s lovely! My sister will be thrilled.”  
  
“She should be especially thrilled that you designed the setting. It’s classic with a modern twist. I want to hire you as soon as you graduate,” he said with a nod of his head and huge smile.  
  
“That’s three years away. Let’s wait and see where life takes me, okay?”  
  
“You are going places, my dear. I predict Fifth Avenue!”  
  
“You’re sweet,” Sasha said, stepping forward and kissing him on the cheek. “Thank you again for everything.”  
  
“Anytime, sweetheart. Maybe the next engagement ring you’ll be designing will be your own.”  
  
“Don’t hold your breath,” Sasha said, grinning at him.   
  
Sasha placed the ring in her backpack and made her way back out to the street. She was walking to the subway when her phone rang so she stopped and pulled it out. She didn’t recognize the number, but answered it nonetheless, in case it was Mrs. Perez, the new nanny, with questions she’d forgotten earlier at the interview.  
  
“Hello.”  
  
“Hey, gorgeous.”  
  
Sasha almost dropped the phone, she was so shocked! She knew who it was, the voice was unmistakable and her reaction equally so. Her heart rate sped up to a frantic pace and she thought that she might faint if she didn’t get a grip.  
  
“Mark. How did you find me?”  
  
“Your number is the same, Sasha. You just never answered my calls before.”  
  
“Well, that’s because I had no desire to talk to you ever again. The only reason I answered this time was because I didn’t recognize the number. You must have a new phone.”  
  
“I do, but who cares about that. I’m in New York. I was wondering if we could meet?”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Please, my beauty. I need to see you.”  
  
Sasha shut her eyes and bit her lip so hard she almost drew blood. Hearing him call her beauty made her knees weak and her stomach plummet to the ground.   
  
“Where are you staying?”  
  
“At the downtown Marriott.”  
  
“I know where it is.”  
  
“Can I meet you somewhere?”  
  
“Is there a special reason why you’re calling now, after so long?”  
  
“I can’t get you out of my head. I need to see you, apologize for being the biggest fool this side of the equator.”  
  
“Look, it’s all water under the bridge. You don’t need to apologize.”  
  
“Yes, I do. Let me buy you dinner at least.”  
  
“This is very sudden, Mark. I can’t drop everything to meet you.”  
  
“Please? For old time’s sake?”  
  
“Let me see what I can do about rearranging my schedule,” Sasha said, knowing she was going to meet him. Resisting the chance to see him again wasn’t something she was capable of doing. She knew that as soon as he made the request. “Can I call you back in about an hour?”  
  
“I’ll be waiting.”  
  
“Okay.” She disconnected and ducked into a Starbucks a few feet away. She ordered a double shot latte, needing the caffeine to fortify her. She found that her hands were shaking before she even had her first sip. What a joke, she thought to herself. Two years later and he still had such power over her emotions.   
  
She dialed Gus’ number and he answered immediately. “What’s up? Everything okay?”  
  
“Everything’s fine. I found a great nanny who’ll start tomorrow. I called to see if you or Aedan will be home soon.”  
  
“I should be home in about an hour. Why?”  
  
“I need to go out and I want to make sure Taylor is covered.”  
  
“That’s not a problem. He’s with you now, right?”  
  
“Yes,” she answered, looking down at her son who stared up at her with the big, blue eyes fringed in black lashes. Eyes that were exact replicas of his father’s. “Taylor’s great. We should be home shortly.”   
  
“Okay, sweetie. I’ll see you soon.”  
  
**********  
  
Sasha stood at the entrance of Roy’s restaurant. It was located in the Marriott Hotel and just as convenient for her as it was for Mark. She scanned all the patrons until her eyes locked in on the familiar blue ones that lit up when they saw her. He looked almost exactly as she remembered him. Her reaction to his presence was predictable as well. The overpowering attraction was still there and she moved towards him like a child attracted to a shiny object. She was as powerless to resist him as she’d always been.  
  
“Sasha,” Mark said softly, standing as she stood in front of him. “You look amazing.” He ate her up with his eyes, noting the diamond that twinkled in her nose, the perfect accessory to highlight the mocha-colored complexion that was still as smooth as silk. Her eyes sparkled, the earth colors a warm and inviting mix of browns and greens and her lips twitched into the shy smile he found so endearing. She was dressed in black pants and a brown silk top that wrapped around her like a second skin. She seemed to have blossomed in the two years since he’d last seen her. She was a woman in full bloom, no longer a shy and reluctant virgin with hints of what was to come. She had arrived, so to speak, and he was stunned by her beauty.   
  
“You’re looking pretty good yourself,” she said, smiling at him.  
  
They stood there, staring at each other for what must have been at least five minutes. Finally, he broke the silence and croaked out, “You want a drink?”  
  
Dinner may as well have been wood shavings, for all they cared. Neither one seemed to have an appetite for food, barely touching the selection that was placed in front of them. Mark was mesmerized by Sasha, unable to tear his eyes away long enough to look down at his plate to see what was there. She was just as affected, pushing her food around automatically, barely tasting the few bites she’d placed in her mouth.   
  
“Are you enjoying Pratt?”  
  
“It’s fine.”  
  
“Where do you live?”  
  
“I have an apartment in Chelsea.”  
  
“Oh. Alone?”  
  
“I live at my brother’s house. He has a separate in-law unit in his basement.”  
  
“Gus and Aedan’s house?”  
  
“Yes,” she answered, a little surprised that he knew their names.  
  
“I met him.”  
  
“When?” she was shocked and a little fearful that they’d met and no one had said anything.  
  
“Last week, at your Dad’s.”  
  
“My dad?” she replied, even more surprised.  
  
“Yes. Look,” Mark said, “I met your dads several months ago. Brian came by the college to meet me and we hit it off right away. He’s a great guy.”  
  
“He is,” Sasha answered, this new bit of information exploding in her head. When the hell were her fathers planning on telling her that they’d met Mark. “What do you think of Justin?”  
  
“He’s almost as amazing as you are.”  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
He smiled and reached for her hand. “They’re exactly what you said they’d be. I should have listened to you.”  
  
“I told you my parents are way cool.”  
  
“You were right. I’m just sorry that I didn’t meet them two years ago. I’m sorry about a lot of things, Sasha. Especially what I did to you.”  
  
Sasha tried to rein in her reaction to his words but wasn’t as successful as she hoped. The tears prickled in her eyes and she felt the trembling in her hands and he grabbed them in his and said, “I’m so sorry for putting you through so much stress. I was completely wrong and I regret everything.”  
  
“Regret?” she asked, unclear as to what he meant. Did he regret ever having an affair?  
  
“I don’t regret loving you. I’m sorry that I made you have the abortion. It was a heartless thing to do.”  
  
“You did what you thought was best.”  
  
“I was selfish and didn’t even think of you. It’s the biggest regret in my life.”   
  
Sasha remained silent, willing her tears to disappear. She was biting her tongue to make sure she didn’t say anything else.   
  
“Sasha.”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Could you ever get past this?”  
  
“I’m already past it.”  
  
“I mean, would you give me another chance?”  
  
“Mark,” she started to say no, but he quickly interrupted her.   
  
“Please, don’t say no right off. Give me the chance to prove to you how much I care. I still love you.”  
  
“You do?” she said, in wonder. How could this be happening when she thought this part of her life was over?   
  
Mark looked at her with tears in his eyes. “Yes, I do! You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I let you go. I won’t do it again, I swear to you. Sasha,” he reached for her hand again, “You are my beauty, my love. I’m still crazy about you.”  
  
“Oh, God,” she groaned, biting her lip and closing her eyes. 

TBC  
  



	23. Chapter 23

  
Author's notes:

A final thank you to my beta, Shellie, and to my friend, Marita (qafmaniac) who made the amazing video that I'm sure you'll all enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 23

Sasha let herself into her small apartment. It was almost two in the morning and she knew that Gus, Aedan and Taylor were fast asleep. Even though she was in a separate part of the house, she made every effort to be as quiet as possible. She didn’t want to have to deal with anyone from her family right now. All she wanted to do was savor the moment and not tarnish it with the bright reality of real life. There would be time enough in the morning to deal with questions and answers.

She went to the kitchenette and pulled a diet Pepsi out of the fridge and moved over to the sofa. She kicked off her high heels and sat down, pulling her legs underneath her, hugging them against her chest.

Sasha wanted to think about this incredible evening and everything she and Mark had said to each other. They had spent the last hour and a half dancing to music they barely heard. Once he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her up against his chest, she was hurled back in time to the wonderful place she’d been in before their romance was interrupted. All thoughts of Taylor and family were forgotten. All she could concentrate on was the warm body that held her close, the lips that tickled her neck with soft kisses, the voice that kept repeating the words; ‘I love you’, over and over, making her head spin and desire run hot and urgent in her veins.

“Come to my room,” he’d whispered, his arousal pressing against her without shame. “I want you, Sasha.”

“No,” she forced herself to say, even though it was the hardest thing to do. She wasn’t going to make the same mistakes again. This time she would think with her brain instead of succumbing to the powerful physical need. “You need to give me time, Mark. You’ve been out of my life for almost two years. I’m not picking up where we left off,” she said gently, pushing away and looking up at him.

He bent and captured her mouth in a searing kiss, running his tongue lightly around her inner lip, pushing gently into her space as she opened up for him, meeting his thrust with a soft touch that slowly escalated to a more aggressive push. They moaned into each other and both stepped forward, clinging tighter, groin against groin. Her breasts were smashed against his chest and he grabbed hold of her ass with both hands and squeezed gently, pulling her up against his cock, now outlined rigidly against his pants.

“Jesus,” he groaned, pushing her away and looking at her with eyes filled with want. “You turn me into a horny mess in a matter of seconds.”

“Ditto,” she replied, her mouth now swollen and moist. “Can we please sit down?”

They moved over to their table and she took a huge gulp of water as soon as she sat in the chair across from Mark.

“I want you back,” he said, never taking his eyes off her. “Tell me what I need to do. I’ll quit my job and move here if that’s what it’ll take.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why? I’m serious, Sasha. I’ll do whatever you ask.”

“You need to slow down, Mark. I’m not the same person I was two years ago. I’ve moved on and can’t just flip a switch and become your girl again, just because you want it to happen.”

“I understand,” Mark replied, undeterred. “Just answer one thing. Do you still love me?”

“That’s beside the point.”

“The hell it is! Do you or don’t you?”

“I’ve never stopped loving you,” she answered, blinking away the tears that swiftly made an appearance.

“I know I screwed up, Sasha. I was a fucking jerk for putting you through hell like I did. I swear to God I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, if you’ll give me the chance.”

“There’s more to this than just you and me, Mark. I have my career to think about.”

“I fully support your career and would never expect you to leave Pratt.”

“And I wouldn’t,” she replied. “But, I also have other commitments that I have to honor,” she stated, pulling the glass of water and taking another sip. “I’ve made some promises that I have to keep.”

“Promises to whom?”

“My brother and his partner.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“You really have no say in the matter,” she said ruefully. “This is between me and them.”

“Whatever it is, I’ll never stand in your way.”

“How can you make a blanket statement like that without even knowing what’s involved?”

“Because I know you’ll do the right thing, whatever it is.”

“What if it affects your life?”

“How?”

“Doesn’t matter,” she said, hoping he’d drop this line of questioning.

“Look, Sasha. I don’t know what this commitment to Gus is all about. I only know that I have no right to impose anything in your life because I threw that right away when I forced you into having an abortion. I realize that it’s going to take a long time before you trust me again.”

“Have you had a change of heart about children and family? I could never be with anyone who didn’t want kids.”

“I never said I didn’t want kids. I just didn’t want one at that time.”

“You’ve met my family, Mark. You now know how Gus, Sorina and I were raised. We were all time-shared and lived to talk about it. Would that be something you’d ever consider?”

“Sharing with whom? And what would I share?”

“A child, perhaps. What if I decided to carry a child for Gus and Aedan if and when you and I were together as a couple? Could you handle that?”

“You’d sleep with one of them?” he asked, shocked.

“No, of course not! It would be through artificial insemination. The same way Sorina and I were conceived.”

“Oh, that’s different. I guess I’d be okay with it, if you are.”

“And let’s carry this one step further. What if you and I had a child and Gus and Aedan wanted that child to be a part of their family unit, along with the one I carried for them. Would you allow it?”

“I don’t know. I guess I’d have to think about that for a minute. My own kid, raised by someone else?”

“Shared with someone else, Mark. I’m surprised that you’d even think twice! You had no qualms in telling me to murder your child,” Sasha spat out, the anger and hurt finally showing up. “How can you be territorial all of a sudden when you so easily dismissed your own flesh and blood before?”

“That was pretty harsh, Sasha,” he said, looking at her in shock. “I know there’s truth to your statement, but hearing it out loud is like being kicked in the gut.”

“I’m not letting you off the hook so easily,” she answered, never wavering. “I’m not the love-struck young thing I used to be. You need to understand what and who you’re dealing with before you make all kinds of promises that you can’t keep.”

“I realize you’ve grown up.”

“Don’t be condescending, Mark. I didn’t grow up! Life happened…circumstances and events you know nothing about made me reassess my priorities. I need to be with someone who’s on the same page as I am. I love you, I won’t deny that. But sometimes, love just isn’t enough.”

“Your father told me that you’d be a challenge, but that having a Taylor in my life was worth the effort.”

“Do you mean Brian?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if anyone knows about challenging partners, he does.”

Mark nodded and looked at Sasha. “I’m willing to pick up this gauntlet you’ve just thrown at me, if you’ll give me the opportunity.”

“And we would start fresh, without any assumptions on your part?”

Mark nodded. “No assumptions, no expectations, no demands. I want you back because you are the most important thing in the world to me. Nothing and no one else matters.”

Sasha nodded and stood slowly. “I’d like to think about everything we’ve talked about tonight. I suggest you do the same.”

“My mind is made up, Sasha.” Mark stood as well and took one of her hands in his. “I had all kinds of pre-conceived notions about family and children, until I met Brian and Justin. Brian has accepted me for who I am, without any conditions. He’s shown me how it’s possible to have the kind of family I always dreamed about, even if it’s unconventional. I want to share my life with you, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.”

“Whatever it takes? You are giving me a blank check with your future?”

“Absolutely.”

**********

 

The lights in the theater were dimmed and the familiar sounds of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake receded as the corps de ballet exited the stage.

The entire clan sat in the fifth row, dressed to impress, and completely caught up in the excitement of Sorina and Ryan’s debut. Gus and Aedan sat with Sasha in between them, Brian and Justin to their right, and Daphne with Ria in between her and Alex, to the left. Both sets of grandparents, the Chanders and the Cherny’s, as well as Jennifer Taylor and her long-time partner, Tuck. Ryan’s father and mother took up the rest of the row.

Directly behind them in row six sat Max and Emmett, Ted and Blake, Michael, along with Hunter and his wife, Peggy, Melanie and Lindsay, Austin and Jenny and finally, Debbie, who had come without Carl, leaving him in Cynthia’s capable hands for the weekend.

The stage went black and a hush descended. Justin grabbed Brian’s hand and their fingers intertwined as the stage slowly illuminated and a spotlight picked up the form of Sorina in her black and white tutu with Ryan right beside her. They began to move in the dance they’d been perfecting over the last few months; an effortless duet that showed off the perfect combination of grace and athleticism that left everyone breathless. Justin’s tears poured down his face as he watched his daughter, and Brian quickly put an arm around him and drew him closer, but not before he wiped a stray tear off his cheek as well.

The audience stood when they finished, and flowers were strewn on the stage to the accompanying thunder of applause. Sorina bowed gracefully and Ryan kissed her hand and nodded at her and they both bowed once more. By the time it was all said and done, there wasn’t a dry eye in the fifth and sixth row.

The entire clan moved out of the theater and got into separate vehicles to congregate once more at the restaurant they had rented for the night to celebrate this event. Brian and Justin headed straight for the bar to fortify their shaky emotions with a much needed drink. Everyone gathered around and made small talk, waiting for Sorina and Ryan to show up.

Finally, they appeared, standing at the entrance, dressed in evening attire, a golden couple beaming with pride.

“Sorina,” Justin said, gathering her into his arms. “You were perfect.”

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“Ryan,” Justin reached out to shake the boy’s hand, “Excellent job!”

“Thank you, sir.”

Brian stood off to the side and waited, and Sorina turned to him and he opened his arms and she flew into them and he embraced her for the longest time. “You looked just like the princess you always wanted to be,” he whispered. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you,” she answered, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at the man who had been the center of her small universe for so long. “And Ryan?”

Brian turned to look at Ryan and reached to give him a quick hug as well. “Both of you were incredible.”

“Thank you, Mr. Kinney.”

“You can call me, Brian.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Brian laughed and grabbed Justin’s hand, leaving Sorina and Ryan in the hands of all the other family members who gathered around them.

Brian stopped when he saw Gus. “Is everything good in your world?”

“Couldn’t be better, dad.”

“Did Sasha sign everything?”

“Yes, and virtually made a commitment for the future.”

“What kind of commitment?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

Brian rolled his eyes and said, “Sonny Boy, when are you going to learn that everything that happens in this family concerns me?”

Gus laughed and said, “Right now, I just want you to have fun! Tonight is for celebrations, not drama.”

“Don’t the two go hand-in-hand?” Brian grinned.

“In your case, I would have to say, yes,” Gus replied, surprising Brian with a quick peck on the cheek. It had been a while since Gus had done that, so whatever little secret he was guarding was making him very happy.

Aedan came up to them and grabbed Gus by the hand. “Come on, Angel. Let’s eat.”

They moved off towards their table, and Brian and Justin sat down with Daphne and Alex to their right and Sorina and Ryan to their left. Each of the small round tables sat six people.

Alex stood abruptly and tapped one of the wine glasses with his knife to quiet down the chatty group. “I have something to say,” he said.

He looked at all of the family and friends that were present. “First of all, I want to thank all of you for coming tonight, to share in Sorina and Ryan’s debut. We really appreciate you all making such a long trip.”

“Are you kidding! Wild horses couldn’t keep us away,” Debbie yelled out.

The group laughed and quieted down to let Alex proceed. “We have arrived at the end of a journey that was started many years ago, when Daddy Brian bought Sorina her first pair of ballet shoes. Brian,” Alex looked down at Brian and smiled, “I know you had no idea that your small present would turn into a life-long career, but, thank you, for opening up Sorina’s eyes to the world she belongs in.”

“I did nothing-only provided the props.”

“Modest, as usual,” Alex smiled at his co-parent.

“To my beautiful daughter and her very talented partner,” Alex raised the glass of champagne and toasted the pair. “Congratulations on a job well done!” There was a smattering of applause and a few shouts of ‘here-here’.

Daphne stood beside Alex and said, “Just before leaving for the theater, Ryan asked us for Sorina’s hand in marriage. We gave them both our blessing, as I’m sure their other father’s will as well,” Daphne turned to Brian and Justin with a questioning look. They looked surprised, but nodded their approval. “So, tonight is an engagement party, as well as a debut. Everyone, meet our new son-in-law to be, Ryan Courrie. I’m sure you will all make him feel welcomed into this large and eclectic family.”

The room burst into applause again and everyone stood to gather around the young couple to hug and kiss and see the engagement ring that Sorina wore proudly on her left hand.

“Sasha,” Sorina called. “Where’s Sash?”

“I’m right here,” Sasha replied, stepping through the crowd that had gathered.

Sorina embraced her and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you for this beautiful ring,” she said breathlessly, then she turned to the crowd and said in a loud voice, “Sasha designed my ring, everyone,” lifting her hand so they could all see it. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”

“Almost as gorgeous as she is,” a deep voice came from the back of the room. All eyes turned towards the door and Mark walked in, dressed in a navy blue suit, carrying two bouquets of roses. The dozen red ones, he handed to Sorina who nodded her thanks with a surprised look on her face. The smaller bouquet contained three perfect, pink roses, wrapped in cellophane and these he presented to Sasha. He bent towards her and kissed her on the cheek, whispering, so that only she could hear. “American Beauty’s for the only beauty here tonight.”

“Thank you,” Sasha replied, a blush staining her cheeks, almost matching the color of the roses, and making her look even more beautiful.

Brian stepped in quickly, and took Mark by the hand. “Everyone! I want you to meet my nephew, Mark Bauer. The only good thing to come out of Claire Kinney’s sad and twisted world.”

“What?” Debbie yelled. “Where is this kid?”

She lumbered up to Mark and looked him up and down. “You look just like Brian when he was your age.”

“So I’ve been told. I’m extremely honored.”

“Yeah, you better be! You’ve got big shoes to fill!”

“Deb,” Brian said, frowning at Debbie, but smiling despite his disapproval.

Sasha took Mark by the hand and stepped over to Daphne and Alex. “Mama and Papa, this is my friend, Mark. He was my teacher for one semester at the community college.”

“Pleased to meet you,” they replied, smiling at Mark. “We had no idea you existed.”

“No one did,” Mark replied easily.

“I did,” Sasha said, never taking her eyes off him.

Mark smiled at her, the love easily apparent to anyone watching. “You have an extraordinary daughter,” he said out loud.

Daphne and Alex looked at each other and then back at Mark and Sasha. “I think I need a drink,” Daphne said, turning to her husband. “I feel really old all of a sudden.”

Alex nodded at Daphne and then turned to smile at his daughter and the new man that seemed to have captured her elusive heart. He couldn’t have been more pleased to see her reacting to Mark this way. “My daughter is one of a kind, Mark. I’m so glad you appreciate that.”

“Oh, believe me, Sir. I more than appreciate it.”

“Come on, Daphne,” Alex said as he reached for her. “Give this old man a spin around the floor.”

The music started and everyone looked around for partners. The strains of the old ballad, Unforgettable, remixed into the duet by Nat King Cole and his daughter, Natalie, came through the speakers, pushing everyone out of their seats and on to the dance floor with a loved one.

Justin pulled a reluctant Brian, begging him to cooperate. “Please, be ridiculously romantic for me.”

“Only for you, Sunshine,” Brian replied, slipping his arms around his partner and pressing his forehead down on Justin’s hair.

Justin looked up at him and said, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Thank you for being so unforgettable, just like this song says. Thank you for sharing your life with me and our children and for giving us our happy ending.”

“Stop it or you’ll make me cry,” Brian said, biting his lip. “Brian Kinney does not cry.”

“Says who?” Justin asked, looking up at his husband of thirty years. His famous blue eyes were sparkling with tears and he reached up to caress Brian’s cheek, wiping away the single tear that rolled down the soft skin.

“Says your master.”

“I love my master.”

“And he adores his pet.”

They laughed together and whirled around the room, oblivious to anyone else, as it should be, as it always was, from the very beginning.

 

The End.

 

Click on the link provided by my wonderful friend, Qafmaniac. She made this special video at my request, weeks before Gale was injured. Somehow this video is even more meaningful, in light of all that's happened to him. I hope it brings back wonderful memories of an amazing man and his beautiful partner, who's love and chemistry have brought us all together as one giant family. Of course, it’s going to make you cry, hell I'm crying right now and I've seen it four million times! So have the Kleenex ready. Thank you all for coming along on this journey through my Karma universe. It has been a pleasure from day one. You are all so special to me!

Big, big hugs,  
Michele

Here is the link for watching the vid:

[ **http://www.4shared.com/file/66677186/2d93fc76/Unforgettable.html** ](http://www.4shared.com/file/66677186/2d93fc76/Unforgettable.html)

....and this is the direct download link:

[ **http://dc17.4shared.com/download/66677186/2d93fc76/Unforgettable.wmv** ](http://dc17.4shared.com/download/66677186/2d93fc76/Unforgettable.wmv)   



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